White Sox, Orioles clash after single-game excursions originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Baltimore Orioles took a victorious side trip prior to their Tuesday night home game against the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox remain on their own unusual trip.
The Orioles split a pair of games in Boston on Friday and Saturday, then beat the Red Sox 5-3 on Sunday night in Williamsport, Pa. Then they headed back home.
The White Sox were supposed to finish a series in Cleveland on Sunday after splitting the first two games of the series, but the scheduled finale against the Guardians was postponed because of unplayable field conditions. Then they went to Kansas City on Monday afternoon for a one-game stopover, and they lost 6-4 to the Royals.
Now it’s on to Baltimore for the beginning of a three-game series. So Tuesday will mark the White Sox’s third city in three days — and none of those venues was Chicago.
The White Sox endured more trouble on Monday with starting pitcher Michael Kopech departing due to soreness behind his left knee after failing to record an out while facing four batters. That could mean a taxed bullpen in Baltimore after seven pitchers followed him to the mound in the loss.
“It just sucks, especially knowing the position we’re in, trying to make a push,” Kopech said.
Two days earlier, the White Sox lost catcher Yasmani Grandal to a left knee injury when he was thrown out at the plate. Manager Tony La Russa said the team’s offensive shortcomings might have played into the decision to send Grandal with Chicago leading Cleveland 1-0 in the seventh inning.
“If you are having trouble scoring runs, you should lean to more aggressive, not less aggressive,” La Russa said.
The strategy came with a cost, though, as Grandal was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday.
The Orioles received all sorts of fanfare while in Williamsport, the city that holds the Little League World Series, and making a rare appearance on national television.
The Baltimore contingent enjoyed the festivities and perhaps the diversion — albeit brief — from the stress of the quest to make the playoffs.
“I don’t think most of us have ever been here, (so) to experience that was something we’ll never forget,” manager Brandon Hyde said.
A boost in spirits could benefit the Orioles, who certainly carry an underdog mentality despite their relative success this year. The exposure felt good.
“I think it’s a big deal for a lot of our players,” Hyde said. “A lot of those guys have not been in postseason or on ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ before. To be able to showcase and to be able to have friends and family watch on national TV, our guys will take a lot out of that.”
Now the Orioles must refocus for their Tuesday matchup with White Sox ace Dylan Cease (12-5, 2.09 ERA).
The right-hander won five consecutive starts until a loss Aug. 11 against the Kansas City Royals and then a no-decision on Aug. 16 against the Houston Astros, who tagged him for three runs in five innings.
Cease won a June 26 start at home against the Orioles, when he struck out a career-high 13. He limited Baltimore to four hits, including Jonathan Arauz’s solo home run, in seven innings. Arauz is currently on a minor league rehab assignment as he works his way back from a broken finger.
In his career, Cease is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts against the Orioles.
Baltimore will go with right-hander Austin Voth (3-1, 4.86 ERA) as its Tuesday starter. He has won all three of his decisions since the beginning of July. Voth is coming off a splendid six-inning outing when he blanked the Toronto Blue Jays on two hits last Wednesday before a rare bullpen failure cost the Orioles.
“A really good curveball, the cutter, slider,” Hyde said of Voth’s last outing. “He’s got a nice life to his fastball. … Hopefully, he can continue to build. He has been doing this since he got here (in June), keeping us in games and pitching well.”
Voth opposed the White Sox for the first time in his career on June 24, when he pitched three innings of one-run ball.
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