The road to the World Series was always going to go through the AL Central
representatives, either the division-winning Cleveland Indians or the deceptively
strong wild card Chicago White Sox. Scott and I have met for plenty of regular-season
matchups, going back years, but this is our first tangle in the postseason so it's got
a little more spice!
Game 1, at Cleveland: Lucas Giolito (15-6, 3.10 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (14-10, 3.30)
With the weather report warning of 17 mph winds out to center, the Cleveland owner
almost dictated that the Tribe start the power-suppressing Brandon Woodruff or Brad
Keller in the opener before realizing "how cheesy that would be." So the series remained
the matchup of both teams' respective aces, and that's how it played out. Both pitchers
struck out the side in the first, with little happening until the bottom of the third,
when left fielder Hunter Renfroe, getting a surprise start at the end of a trying season
(career batting .253 with 67 homers, but just .200, 17 in 2020) led off with a home run.
The game remained strikeout-filled and offensively stifled until the top of the fifth,
when Verlander walked Bryce Harper and Kike Hernandez to open the inning, but Ozzie
Albies and Seth Brown (in to replace the injured Jake Marisnick) struck out and Andrelton
Simmons popped out. The Tribe threatened in the bottom of the sixth with Ronald Acuna
leading off with a single and stealing second, then being wild-pitched to third after
two outs. Max Kepler walked before Edwin Encarnacion struck out, Giolito's eighth K of
the day.
Verlander had struck out 11 and not allowed a hit through six innings, then this:
************** Top of the 7th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 32 Jimenez,El grounded out to short (CBSBBX)
0-1 1 --- 11 Harper,B lined a single to shallow center (BCX)
0-1 1 1-- 12 Hernandez,En struck out (1CBCC)
0-1 2 1-- 22 Albies grounded out to the mound (BSBFFX)
The bullpens finally made their appearance in the eighth, with Verlander throwing 115
pitches. Sergio Romo came on after a walk to Brown and a flyout from Simmons. Romo struck
out Curt Casali and hit Justin Turner with a pitch, then Kyle Ryan entered, only to walk
the bases full with the dangerous Nick Castellanos. Deciding to go for it in the eighth,
Cleveland manager Jake Taylor brought on closer Felipe Vazquez to try for the four-out
save. Manny Pina pinch-hit for Rookie of the Year candidate Eloy Jimenez but struck out,
ending the threat. With the score still Tribe 1-0 in the ninth, Vazquez sandwiches
strikeouts of Harper and Albies around a flyout from Hernandez to give Cleveland the opener
before an empty Colavito Field. Giolito struck out 10 in seven innings, Verlander 12 in 7.1.
Cleveland allowed just one hit and got only four of their own.
Indians 1, White Sox 0. W: Verlander L: Giolito S: Vazquez GW: Renfroe
10/10/2020, ChW20-Cle20, "the Rock," Colavito Field
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2020 White Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
2020 Indians 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 x 1 4 0 5 0
White Sox AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Turner,J 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Ohtani dh 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Castellanos ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Jimenez,El lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 2 0 0 0
Pina ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Giolito p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 2 0 0
Mills p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 1 0 0
Harper,B rf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 2 0 0 0
Hernandez,En 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 3 0 0 0
Albies 2b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 1 0 0
Marisnick cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Brown 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 3 2 0 0
Simmons ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Casali c 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 10 0 0 0
28 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 16 0 0 0 1 0 0 24 6 0 0
Indians AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Acuna cf 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 .500 2 0 0 0
Torres,G 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 2 0 0
Realmuto c 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 17 0 0 0
Kepler rf 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 3 0 0 0
Encarnacion dh 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Contreras 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 4 0 0 0
Anderson,Bri 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Renfroe lf 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 0 0 0
Correa ss 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 0 2 0 0
Verlander p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Romo p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Ryan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Vazquez,F p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
27 1 4 1 0 0 1 3 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 27 5 0 0
White Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Giolito L 0-1 7.0 3 1 1 3 10 116 72 26 1 0 0 1 1 1.29
Mills 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 13 8 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
8.0 4 1 1 3 10 129 80 30 1 0 0 1 1
Indians INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
Verlander W 1-0 7.1 1 0 0 3 12 115 64 26 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Romo H 1 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 9 5 2 0 0 1 0 0 0.00
Ryan 0.0 0 0 0 1 0 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Vazquez,F S 1 1.1 0 0 0 0 3 14 11 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
9.0 1 0 0 4 16 144 82 33 0 0 1 0 0
ChW: Hernandez,En moved to cf in the 3rd
Brown inserted at 1b in the 3rd
Castellanos batted for Ohtani in the 8th
Pina batted for Jimenez,El in the 8th
Castellanos moved to lf in the 8th
GWRBI: Renfroe
Jake Marisnick was injured for this game and 4 more days
Temperature: 63, Sky: clear, Wind: out to center at 17 MPH.
10/10/2020, ChW20-Cle20, "the Rock," Colavito Field
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2020 White Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
2020 Indians 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 x 1 4 0 5 0
White Sox -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Turner,J 3b 1>k 4>9 8 HBP.1-2
Ohtani dh k k k Ryan
Castellanos ph W.2-3;1-2
Jimenez,El lf k k 7>63 Vazquez,F
Pina ph k
Giolito p
Mills p
Harper,B rf 2>k 5>W S 9>k
Hernandez,En 1b 8 W.1-2 k 9
Albies 2b 2/fl k 143 k
Marisnick cf 3>43
Brown 1b k 8>W
Simmons ss 63 5/fl 9
Casali c k 6>k Romo
k
Indians -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Acuna cf 1>k 7 6>S S
Torres,G 2b W 31.1-2 SB2 7
k
Realmuto c k k 13 SB2
31
Kepler rf k 4>8 wp.2-3
W
Encarnacion dh 2>W 8 k
Contreras 1b k 7 7>k
Anderson,Bri 3b 143/gdp 5>9 k
Renfroe lf 3>HR k 9
Correa ss S 3/fl 8>Mills
13
White Sox IN OUT ER Indians IN OUT ER
Giolito A1 C8 1 L 0-1 Verlander A1 C8 0 W 1-0
Mills C9 D3 0 Romo C9 D1 0 H 1
Ryan D2 D2 0
Vazquez,F D3 D6 0 S 1
10/10/2020, ChW20-Cle20, "the Rock," Colavito Field
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2020 White Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6 1
2020 Indians 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 x 1 4 0 5 0
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top of the 1st inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 22 Turner,J struck out (CFBBS)
0-0 1 --- 12 Ohtani struck out (CBFS)
0-0 2 --- 32 Jimenez,El struck out (BBCBFC)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, Indians batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Acuna struck out (BCCS)
0-0 1 --- 31 Torres,G walked (BBSBB)
0-0 1 1-- 12 Realmuto struck out (1BFSC)
0-0 2 1-- 22 Kepler struck out (BSSFBS)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 32 Harper,B struck out (BSBSFBS)
0-0 1 --- 20 Hernandez,En flied out to center (BBX)
0-0 2 --- 00 Albies popped out to the catcher (X)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, Indians batting
0-0 0 --- 32 Encarnacion walked (CBBFFBFB)
0-0 0 1-- 32 Contreras struck out (BCCBBS)
0-0 1 1-- 11 Anderson,Bri grounded into a double play, Giolito to
Albies to Hernandez,En (CBX)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, White Sox batting
0-0 0 --- 00 Marisnick grounded out to second (X)
Marisnick left the game with an injury
0-0 1 --- 12 Simmons grounded out to short (BFSX)
0-0 2 --- 22 Casali struck out (FCBBC)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, Indians batting
Hernandez,En moved to center field
Brown now playing first base
0-0 0 --- 10 Renfroe homered deep down the left-field line (BX)
0-1 0 --- 12 Correa grounded a single up the middle (BFSFX)
0-1 0 1-- 22 Acuna flied out to left (CBCBFX)
0-1 1 1-- 21 Torres,G grounded out to first, Correa to second (1BCBX)
0-1 2 -2- 32 Realmuto struck out (CBBBCC)
************** Top of the 4th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 30 Turner,J flied out to right (BBBX)
0-1 1 --- 02 Ohtani struck out (CSS)
0-1 2 --- 32 Jimenez,El struck out (BCFBBS)
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, Indians batting
0-1 0 --- 01 Kepler flied out to center (FX)
0-1 1 --- 02 Encarnacion flied out to center (FCX)
0-1 2 --- 12 Contreras flied out to left (CBSX)
************** Top of the 5th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 32 Harper,B walked (SBBSBB)
0-1 0 1-- 32 Hernandez,En walked, Harper,B to second (BBBCFB)
0-1 0 12- 22 Albies struck out (BBCSFS)
0-1 1 12- 02 Brown struck out (CSS)
0-1 2 12- 21 Simmons popped out to third (CBBX)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, Indians batting
0-1 0 --- 22 Anderson,Bri flied out to right (CFBBFX)
0-1 1 --- 22 Renfroe struck out (BCSBC)
0-1 2 --- 12 Correa popped out to first (BFCX)
************** Top of the 6th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 22 Casali struck out (BBSCS)
0-1 1 --- 20 Turner,J flied out to center (BBX)
0-1 2 --- 22 Ohtani struck out (BCFBS)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, Indians batting
0-1 0 --- 11 Acuna reached on an infield single to the pitcher (CBX)
0-1 0 1-- 11 Acuna stole second (1CBp>C)
0-1 0 -2- 12 Torres,G struck out (1CBp>C.S)
0-1 1 -2- 01 Realmuto grounded out to the mound (CX)
0-1 2 -2- 00 Giolito threw a wild pitch, Acuna to third (B)
0-1 2 --3 30 Kepler walked (B.BBB)
0-1 2 1-3 22 Encarnacion struck out (CCBFFBS)
************** Top of the 7th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 32 Jimenez,El grounded out to short (CBSBBX)
0-1 1 --- 11 Harper,B lined a single to shallow center (BCX)
0-1 1 1-- 12 Hernandez,En struck out (1CBCC)
0-1 2 1-- 22 Albies grounded out to the mound (BSBFFX)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, Indians batting
0-1 0 --- 22 Contreras struck out (CSBBC)
0-1 1 --- 12 Anderson,Bri struck out (CBFC)
0-1 2 --- 21 Renfroe flied out to right (BFBX)
************** Top of the 8th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 31 Brown walked (SBBBB)
0-1 0 1-- 21 Simmons flied out to right (BSBX)
Romo now pitching
0-1 1 1-- 22 Casali struck out (CSFBBC)
0-1 2 1-- 11 Turner,J was hit by a pitch, Brown to second (1FBH)
Ryan now pitching
Castellanos pinch hitting for Ohtani
0-1 2 12- 32 Castellanos walked, Brown to third, Turner,J to second
(BBBFS>B)
Vazquez,F now pitching
Pina pinch hitting for Jimenez,El
0-1 2 123 22 Pina struck out (CFBBFC)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, Indians batting
Castellanos moved to left field
Giolito now pitching
Mills now pitching
0-1 0 --- 11 Correa grounded out to the mound (BSX)
0-1 1 --- 10 Acuna lined a single to left center (BX)
0-1 1 1-- 12 Torres,G flied out to left (1CBCX)
0-1 2 1-- 00 Acuna stole second (>S)
0-1 2 -2- 21 Realmuto grounded out to first (>S.BBX)
************** Top of the 9th inning, White Sox batting
0-1 0 --- 02 Harper,B struck out (CSS)
0-1 1 --- 00 Hernandez,En flied out to right (X)
0-1 2 --- 12 Albies struck out (BCSS)