Chicago powers past Arizona in decisive 7-3 win

Kyle Teel and Lenyn Sosa go off as the Sox momentarily look like a functional ballclub

In response to a fan’s derogatory comment in last night’s game targeting Ketel Marte’s mother — who tragically passed away in a 2017 car accident— the White Sox conveyed a message to him before today’s contest.

In a powerful stand against the ugliness of fan harassment, MLB swiftly acted to indefinitely ban the fan whose despicable comments targeted Marte. It was a heartening display of accountability, reinforcing that there is no place for such vitriol in the stands. As Marte stepped to the plate, the South Siders stood to applaud him, and it was a sweet moment of solidarity that transcended team loyalties.

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As only can happen in that White Sox kind of way, the game itself began with a peculiar sort of fireworks. South Side starter Sean Burke struck out the first three Diamondbacks he faced in the opening frame. Yet, thanks to a challenged call and a passed ball that allowed Geraldo Perdomo to reach first and a subsequent two-run blast from White Sox nemesis Josh Naylor, the Good Guys found themselves in a 2-0 hole.

Easy come, easy go, though, for Arizona. The Good Guys answered quickly in their half of the frame. With two down, Andrew Benintendi pulled one out to right, cutting the lead in half.

Then, rookie catcher Kyle Teel delivered a clutch single to plate Miguel Vargas, who had walked and stolen second. Just like that, the Sox wiped the ledger clean and tied the game at two apiece.

The middle innings saw both pitchers find their rhythm, with Burke deftly navigating traffic in the third to escape a two-out threat. The tie held firm until the bottom of the fourth, when the Pale Hose decided it was time to break the deadlock. With one out, Teel knocked a base hit to right, and Austin Slater followed with a fly out. But Lenyn Sosa stepped up and unleashed a no-doubter to left field, a two-run blast that put Chicago ahead 4-2.

Chicago’s momentum continued to build in the sixth. Enjoying a career day, Teel smacked a ground-rule double to deep center. After another Slater fly out, Sosa once again came through, singling Teel home to extend the lead to 5-2. Not content, however, the White Sox continued to chip away in the seventh. Back-to-back singles from Michael A. Taylor and Mike Tauchman set the table, and Chase Meidroth’s sacrifice fly scored Taylor. But the real exclamation point came when Sosa, seemingly unable to miss, cranked another towering bomb, pushing the lead to a comfortable 7-3.

Rookie Grant Taylor came out for the seventh and handled it with ease, retiring the side in order on 12 pitches. While the Diamondbacks did manage to scratch across an unearned run in the eighth due to some defensive miscues by Taylor and Vargas, the hurler contained the damage. Steven Wilson, out for the ninth, gave up a leadoff single to old friend James McCann, but then closed out the rest of the frame with little fanfare, securing the victory.