Lance Lynn Comes Up Big For White Sox Despite Ugly Box Score

Lance Lynn threw the ball well for the third consecutive start in a row, even though the box score may say otherwise.

"I threw 105 pitches, and I'd like three back," Lynn told reporters after the game. "That's the gist of it."

In six innings, he allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks but struck out seven and, most importantly, gave his team a chance to win the game.

"In my opinion, he was phenomenal," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. Later adding, "For a pitcher to do what he did, it's not about himself. It's about the team. It's what we needed."

After Lynn got tagged with a loss in a 16-strikeout performance against the Mariners because the offense only scored one run, it was the offense's turn to return the favor.

Tim Anderson snapped an 0-for-24 hitless streak, Zach Remillard and Eloy Jimenez each drove in a pair of runs and every starter, but Jake Burger reached base at least once in a nine-run effort.

"Offense picked me up, scored a bunch of runs and we were able to win the game and split the series," Lynn (5-8) said after winning his first game since May 26th.

Lynn run into trouble early, allowing a leadoff home run to Mickey Moniak in the first inning and then served up another home run to Mike Moustakas to lead off the second inning. It was the 21st home run allowed by Lance Lynn this season which is the most in the MLB.

Two batters later, he gave up another home run to Hunter Renfroe. After three innings, he had allowed five runs. It looked like it was shaping up for another rough day in the office for the 36-year-old right-hander.

The White Sox also have two bullpen days scheduled before the All-Star break, so a short outing wasn't an option for Lynn. He knew he had to eat innings.

When he came out for the fourth inning nursing a two-run lead, he did just that. However, he did have to pitch around a hairy situation in the fourth inning.

With two on and two outs he struck out Brandon Dury with a four-seam fastball to escape the jam. After that, it was smooth sailing. The two-time All-Star tossed a perfect fifth and sixth inning, highlighted by back-to-back strikeouts in the fifth.

Lynn is known as a fastball pitcher, but he leaned heavily on his slider, throwing it 30 times, the most out of any pitch on the day. It accounted for three of his seven strikeouts. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani made up all three of those strikeouts with Ohtani falling victim to Lynn's slider in back-to-back innings.

Lynn also threw in a healthy mix of 28 four-seam fastballs and 27 cutters. He got two strikeouts with the four-seamer and one with his cutter. Lynn only threw his changeup eight times, his sinker seven times, and his curveball five times. However, he did get Hunter Renfroe to chase one of those curveballs for his seventh punchout of the game.

The big right-hander from Indiana retired 15 of his last 19 batters faced and recorded 24 swings and misses.

"I'll take it," Lynn said. "Wasn't what you want. You want a clean line, but we scored enough runs and I was able to go deep enough for the bullpen not to have to cover too many innings."