Crew Bests White Sox in Big Inning for 7-1 Win

Friday’s White Sox matchup, with Freddy Peralta and Lucas Giolito set to start, was expected to be a low-scoring affair, at least through the early innings. And that’s what we got, at least in early innings.

Craig Counsell’s approach, intended to save arms in the second-half of the season was in effect. Peralta looked sharp across four highly managed and scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, two walks, and struck out five.

Peralta combined with erstwhile six-man rotation starter Adrian Houser, who tacked on two more scoreless innings. Houser allowed two harmless hits and a walk while striking out two.

Meanwhile, Lucas Giolito worked through plenty of Brewers traffic but put up three scoreless frames before Rowdy Tellez notched an RBI single to put the Brewers on the board in the fourth. Tellez came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded after Luis Urías worked a walk after Avisaíl García and Omar Narváez had reached on a single.

Tellez’ single would leave the bases loaded for Tyrone Taylor, who flew out to left to end the inning and the rally threat with the bases full of Brewers, but he would get another opportunity in the Brewers’ big seventh inning.

Kolten Wong led that inning off with a liner to center. Then, Sox pitcher Aaron Bummer threw eight straight balls to walk up both Willy Adames and Christian Yelich. García grounded out, but knocked in Wong in the process to put the Brewers up 2-0. Narváez struckout, but Bummer already had one foot off the mound. Ryan Burr came in for Bummer with two outs and walked the next two batters, Urías and Tellez.

The Tellez freebie walked in Willy Adames to put the Brewers up 3-0. It also gave Taylor another shot with two outs and the bases loaded (but not before Tony LaRussa was ejected from the game for arguing balls and strikes).

Taylor worked a 2-2 count and Burr delivered a 95 mph fastball up and in. Taylor pulled in his hands, barreled the ball, and kept it just fair of the left field foul pole. It was the first grand slam of Taylor’s career.

The shot would give the Brewers a 7-0 lead, and all the runs they’d need for the game win.

In later inning relief, Brad Boxberger put up another scoreless frame, but required Urías and Narváez to get Tim Anderson out at home on a fielder’s choice. Hunter Strickland gave up a home run to Andrew Vaughn, who was responsible for the Sox only run of the game and three of the team’s five hits. Jandel Gustave put up a scoreless 1-2-3 inning to close out the game.

The Brewers will look to take the series tomorrow with Corbin Burnes on the mound. Game play starts at 6:10pm CT at American Family Field.