Game 4: LHP Jeff Locke vs. RHP Rick Porcello
This game figured to be a high-scoring affair, considering the White Sox were
trusting Rick Porcello – of the 7.42 ALDS ERA – and Les Expos were trotting out
Jeff Locke, the soft-tossing lefty who would now try to slow down the same offense
that had smacked around ace Bumgarner in 2 of the first 3 games.
But DMB do what DMB do, so of course this was the lowest scoring game of the whole
series.
Locke struggled from the get go, getting into trouble in the bottom of the 1st – an
inning in which he had ZERO called or swinging strikes. Of 16 pitches, 9 were balls,
4 were fouled off, and 3 were put into play. With runners on the corner and Bryce
“MVP” Harper at the plate, Locke sold his soul or in some way managed to get Harper
to ground into a double-play to end the inning with no score. A tired Expos bullpen
was counting on him to settle down after that…
Porcello, meanwhile, was very different from his ALDS self. His sinker was locked in,
enabling him to shut down a talented Expos lineup. Over 6.2 innings, Porcello had 8
strikeouts and allowed only 2 walks and a single hit!
Meanwhile, back to the other starter, Locke. The bottom of the second opened with
Raburn and Castellanos both flying out to left, but then… Locke was hurt and had to
come out! SRSLY DMB? That’s two Expos starting pitcher injuries in the first 4
games. I don’t blame him, though. I’d be hurting too and looking for any way to
come out of the game if I had to pitch against that Chicago lineup…
The Expos bullpen was 8-men deep, but was also stretched extremely thin after
covering so many innings over the first 3 games, considering the two shortened
Bumgarner starts and the extra-inning Game 2. So even in a pivotal Game 4, the second
inning was too early to turn to the elite Expos short relievers. So I had no choice
but to hand the ball over to long man Josh Collmenter and hope for the best. Help us
Obiwan Collmenter! You’re our only hope!
The big man actually looked pretty good, and was cruising along until the bottom of
the 6th. After not allowing a single baserunner over 3.1 innings, Collmenter’s night
abruptly ended when Juan Uribe opened the inning with a single, and then reached
second after Collmenter threw four consecutive balls to walk Charlie Blackmon. Michael
Blazek came in to relieve Collmenter, but he had a hard time locating the strike zone.
Russell Martin lined out to center, but then David Ortiz walked to load the bases with
only 1 out. Ryan Flaherty pinch hit but hit a hard grounder right to Todd Frazier at
third, who promptly threw home to force Uribe. Now the bases were still loaded with 2
outs, but guess who was coming to the plate?
Yup. The greatest hitter on the planet: Bryce Harper. Worried as I was about a grand
slam, I swear I told Blazek to “challenge” Harper, but he didn’t listen. Blazek threw
nothing Harper could smash, so the slugger patiently took the walk – and potential
GWRBI – as Blazek walked in the go-ahead run! Den Dekker popped up to first to end the
inning, but after 6, the hometown White Sox led 1-0!
The Chicago bullpen shut Montreal down in the 7th and 8th innings, but things got a
little interesting in the 9th, where the 2-3-4 hitters of Encarnacion-Davis-Gutierrez
were scheduled to hit. Nicasio got Encarnacion to fly out, and then lefty Rich Hill
came in to face Davis. Once again it was Saltalamacchia pinch-hitting for Davis, but
this time it was Hill winning the battle, dispatching Salty with a swinging strikeout!
With two outs – and desperate for baserunners – Franklin Gutierrez leans into a Rich
Hill pitch and casually takes his base. Sam LeCure enters and promptly walks Ben
Zobrist just to get my hopes up before dashing them by getting ALDS hero Brandon
Crawford to fly out to left to end the game. The home town roars as the Chicago White
Sox take a commanding 3-1 series lead!
The Locke/Porcello showdown turned out to be quite the pitchers’ duel as both teams
combined for only a single run on 3 measly hits.
Expos 0, White Sox 1. White Sox lead series 3-1.
10/22/2016, Mtl16-ChW16, U.S. Cellular Field
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2016 Expos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
2016 White Sox 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 x 1 2 1 6 0
Expos AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Cain,L cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .111 3 0 0 0
Encarnacion dh 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 0 0 0 0
Davis,C 1b 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 9 0 0 0
Saltalamacchia ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Gutierrez lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 3 0 0 0
Zobrist rf 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 2 0 0 0
Crawford,B ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .188 2 6 0 0
Cervelli c 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214 2 0 0 0
Herrera,E 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 1 4 0 0
Alberto 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 2 2 0 0
Frazier ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 0 1 0 0
Locke p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Collmenter p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Blazek p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Lopez,Ja p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
28 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 0 0 1 1 0 24 13 0 0
White Sox AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Martin,Ru c 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 10 0 0 1
Ortiz 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 4 2 0 0
Hernandez,E ss 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 0 2 0 0
Flaherty,R ph 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Harper rf 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 2 0 0 0
Raburn dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 0 0 0 0
den Dekker ph 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 0 0 0 0
Castellanos 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .188 3 0 0 0
Ruggiano lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Bourjos ph 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143 4 0 0 0
Uribe 2b 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 1 0 0 0
Blackmon cf 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273 0 0 0 0
Beckham,T ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 1 0 0 0
Porcello p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Bergman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Freeman,S p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 1 0
Nicasio p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Hill,R p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
LeCure p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
25 1 2 1 0 0 0 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 4 1 1
Expos INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Locke 1.2 1 0 0 1 0 27 14 6 0 0 0 0 1 0.00
Collmenter L 0-1 3.1 1 1 1 1 1 33 23 12 0 0 0 0 0 5.79
Blazek 1.2 0 0 0 3 0 30 13 8 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Lopez,Ja 1.1 0 0 0 1 0 19 11 5 0 0 0 0 0 3.86
8.0 2 1 1 6 1 109 61 31 0 0 0 0 1
White Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Porcello W 1-0 6.2 1 0 0 2 8 93 55 23 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Bergman H 2 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Freeman,S H 1 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 6.75
Nicasio H 3 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 12 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Hill,R H 2 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 12 7 2 0 0 1 0 0 9.00
LeCure S 1 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 7 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
9.0 1 0 0 3 9 132 79 33 0 0 1 0 0
Mtl: Frazier batted for Alberto in the 8th
Herrera,E moved to 2b in the 8th
Frazier moved to 3b in the 8th
Saltalamacchia batted for Davis,C in the 9th
ChW: Bourjos batted for Ruggiano in the 2nd
Bourjos moved to cf in the 3rd
Blackmon moved to lf in the 3rd
den Dekker batted for Raburn in the 5th
Flaherty,R batted for Hernandez,E in the 6th
Flaherty,R moved to ss in the 7th
Beckham,T batted for Blackmon in the 7th
Flaherty,R moved to lf in the 8th
Beckham,T moved to ss in the 8th
GWRBI: Harper
Jeff Locke was injured for this game and 10 more days
Temperature: 54, Sky: cloudy, Wind: right to left at 16 MPH.
10/22/2016, Mtl16-ChW16, U.S. Cellular Field
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2016 Expos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
2016 White Sox 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 x 1 2 1 6 0
Expos -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Cain,L cf 1>5/fl k 6>5/fl 6/L
Encarnacion dh 5 4>63 k 9>8
Davis,C 1b 9 W 3/g Hill,R
Saltalamacchia ph k
Gutierrez lf 2>63 k 7>k HBP
Zobrist rf 7 W.1-2 k LeCure
W.1-2
Crawford,B ss k pb.2-3;1-2 Bergman 7
3/g 8
Cervelli c 3>S 5>8 8>Freeman,S
8
Herrera,E 3b k 2/fl 3e1.B-1
Alberto 2b 34/SH.1-2 k
Frazier ph Nicasio
9
White Sox -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Martin,Ru c 1>W 43 Blazek 8>W
8.2-3
Ortiz 1b 8 4>63 W.1-2 46/f.B-1
Hernandez,E ss S.1-3 7
Flaherty,R ph note 1 54/f.B-1
Harper rf 543/gdp 63 note 2 63
Raburn dh 2>7
den Dekker ph 5>9 3
Castellanos 3b 7 63 7>53
Ruggiano lf Collmenter
Bourjos ph 9 6 W
Uribe 2b 3>k 6>S 8
Blackmon cf 63 W.1-2 Lopez,Ja
Beckham,T ph 64/f
1: 52/f.2-3;1-2;B-1 2: W.3-H;2-3;1-2
Expos IN OUT ER White Sox IN OUT ER
Locke A1 A6 0 Porcello A1 C5 0 W 1-0
Collmenter A7 B9 1 L 0-1 Bergman C6 C6 0 H 2
Blazek C1 C8 0 Freeman,S C7 C8 0 H 1
Lopez,Ja C9 D4 0 Nicasio C9 D2 0 H 3
Hill,R D3 D4 0 H 2
LeCure D5 D6 0 S 1
10/22/2016, Mtl16-ChW16, U.S. Cellular Field
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2016 Expos 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
2016 White Sox 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 x 1 2 1 6 0
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top of the 1st inning, Expos batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Cain,L popped out to third (CBSX)
0-0 1 --- 21 Encarnacion popped out to third (CBBX)
0-0 2 --- 01 Davis,C flied out to right (CX)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 31 Martin,Ru walked (BFBBB)
0-0 0 1-- 32 Ortiz lined out to center (BBFFBFX)
0-0 1 1-- 10 Hernandez,E lined a single to right center, Martin,Ru to
third (BX)
0-0 1 1-3 10 Harper grounded into a double play, Herrera,E to Alberto
to Davis,C (BX)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, Expos batting
0-0 0 --- 00 Gutierrez grounded out to short (X)
0-0 1 --- 21 Zobrist flied out to left (BCBX)
0-0 2 --- 02 Crawford,B struck out (CFS)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 32 Raburn flied out to left (CBSBFFBX)
0-0 1 --- 11 Castellanos flied out to left (BCX)
Locke left the game with an injury
Collmenter now pitching
Bourjos pinch hitting for Ruggiano
0-0 2 --- 12 Bourjos popped out to right (CCBX)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, Expos batting
Bourjos moved to center field
Blackmon moved to left field
0-0 0 --- 31 Cervelli lined a single to shallow center (BCBBX)
0-0 0 1-- 22 Herrera,E struck out (CCBBS)
0-0 1 1-- 00 Alberto sacrifice bunted to first, Cervelli to second (Xb)
0-0 2 -2- 22 Cain,L struck out (BBCSC)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Uribe struck out (FBCS)
0-0 1 --- 21 Blackmon grounded out to short (BCBX)
0-0 2 --- 00 Martin,Ru grounded out to second (X)
************** Top of the 4th inning, Expos batting
0-0 0 --- 00 Encarnacion grounded out to short (X)
0-0 1 --- 32 Davis,C walked (BBBCCB)
0-0 1 1-- 02 Gutierrez struck out (CFC)
0-0 2 1-- 30 Zobrist walked, Davis,C to second (BBBB)
0-0 2 12- 00 Martin,Ru allowed a passed ball, Davis,C to third,
Zobrist to second (B)
0-0 2 -23 20 Crawford,B grounded out to first (B.BX)
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 00 Ortiz grounded out to short (X)
0-0 1 --- 11 Hernandez,E flied out to left (BCX)
0-0 2 --- 12 Harper grounded out to short (CFBFX)
************** Top of the 5th inning, Expos batting
0-0 0 --- 20 Cervelli flied out to center (BBX)
0-0 1 --- 22 Herrera,E popped out to the catcher (CBBSX)
0-0 2 --- 32 Alberto struck out (FbBBBSFS)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, White Sox batting
den Dekker pinch hitting for Raburn
0-0 0 --- 00 den Dekker lined out to right (X)
0-0 1 --- 02 Castellanos grounded out to short (FFX)
0-0 2 --- 00 Bourjos popped out to short (X)
************** Top of the 6th inning, Expos batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Cain,L popped out to third (CCBX)
0-0 1 --- 22 Encarnacion struck out (BSCBC)
0-0 2 --- 32 Davis,C grounded out to first (CBFFBBX)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 00 Uribe lined a single to right center (X)
0-0 0 1-- 31 Blackmon walked, Uribe to second (FBBBB)
Blazek now pitching
0-0 0 12- 10 Martin,Ru lined out to center, Uribe to third (BX)
0-0 1 1-3 30 Ortiz walked, Blackmon to second (BBBB)
Flaherty,R pinch hitting for Hernandez,E
0-0 1 123 00 Flaherty,R grounded to third, forcing Uribe at home,
Blackmon to third, Ortiz to second, Flaherty,R to first
(X)
0-0 2 123 31 Harper walked, Blackmon scored, Ortiz to third,
Flaherty,R to second (BBBCB)
0-1 2 123 02 den Dekker popped out to first (SFX)
************** Top of the 7th inning, Expos batting
Flaherty,R moved to shortstop
0-1 0 --- 12 Gutierrez struck out (SSFBFS)
0-1 1 --- 22 Zobrist struck out (CBFBS)
Bergman now pitching
0-1 2 --- 21 Crawford,B flied out to center (BBFX)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 11 Castellanos grounded out to third (BCX)
0-1 1 --- 32 Bourjos walked (SBBBCB)
0-1 1 1-- 32 Uribe flied out to center (CBBBFX)
Lopez,Ja now pitching
Beckham,T pinch hitting for Blackmon
0-1 2 1-- 12 Beckham,T grounded to short, forcing Bourjos at second
(CBFFX)
************** Top of the 8th inning, Expos batting
Flaherty,R moved to left field
Beckham,T moved to shortstop
Freeman,S now pitching
0-1 0 --- 00 Cervelli flied out to center (X)
0-1 1 --- 02 Herrera,E to first on an error by the pitcher Freeman,S
(CSX)
Frazier pinch hitting for Alberto
Nicasio now pitching
0-1 1 1-- 02 Frazier popped out to right (1SCX)
0-1 2 1-- 32 Cain,L lined out to short (BBSBS>X)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, White Sox batting
Herrera,E moved to second base
Frazier moved to third base
0-1 0 --- 31 Martin,Ru walked (BBBCB)
0-1 0 1-- 11 Ortiz grounded to second, forcing Martin,Ru at second,
Ortiz to first (CBX)
0-1 1 1-- 12 Flaherty,R grounded to third, forcing Ortiz at second,
Flaherty,R to first (SbSBX)
0-1 2 1-- 10 Harper grounded out to short (BX)
************** Top of the 9th inning, Expos batting
0-1 0 --- 11 Encarnacion flied out to center (CBX)
Hill,R now pitching
Saltalamacchia pinch hitting for Davis,C
0-1 1 --- 22 Saltalamacchia struck out (BSSFBFS)
0-1 2 --- 22 Gutierrez was hit by a pitch (FBSBH)
LeCure now pitching
0-1 2 1-- 32 Zobrist walked, Gutierrez to second (SBSBB>B)
0-1 2 12- 00 Crawford,B popped out to left (X)