Sox observations: Offense explodes, Moncada returns originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
After failing to score five runs for five-straight games, the White Sox offense erupted in a 11-4 win against the Angels on Tuesday night. They did it with a mix of long homers, crushed doubles, some timely hitting and a little small ball. They did it up and down the lineup, too, with seven hitters notching two or more hits. On the defensive side, Johnny Cueto kept up his solid season and earned another quality start.
WHITE SOX BLAST OFF IN FIFTH INNING
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Yet again, the White Sox offense was sleepwalking through an unimpressive performance. Through four innings the team had two hits and five strikeouts. Things looked bleak. Then the sun went down and the shadows on the field subsided. Apparently that helped the Sox to see the ball better, because they started teeing off and ultimately put up a five-spot in the fifth inning. The big hits of the frame were two-run home runs from Josh Harrison and Luis Robert, but Leury García and Seby Zavala got the rally going with a single and a double to start the White Sox scoring. From there, the floodgates were open for the offense.
YOÁN MONCADA ROARS BACK IN RETURN
After missing all of April, and the first week of May, Yoán Moncada got out to a dismal start when he finally debuted this season. His average dipped below .200 on May 18, and he hasn’t made it back above that threshold, yet. But over a three-game set against the Tigers from June 13-15 it finally looked like Moncada was starting to come around at the plate. In the last game of that series, Moncada capped things with a five-hit, five-RBI game. But then things came crashing back down again. The very next day, Moncada hurt his hamstring and needed to go back onto the 10-Day IL. Moncada insisted he could keep working on his swing to make sure he kept up his timing while he was sidelined, and so far it seems like that was true. Moncada picked up right where he left off earlier this month, with two hits and two RBI on Tuesday, which included a double he smashed off the wall in right field.
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JOHNNY CUETO EATS SIX INNINGS AGAIN
Name a more iconic duo than Johnny Cueto and going six deep. I’ll wait. Cueto has been a revelation for the White Sox as their fifth starter, as the team has battled through multiple injuries in the bullpen and shaky starts from Dallas Keuchel. He’s now pitched at least six innings in seven of his eight starts for the Sox. He’s given up three earned runs or less in seven of eight starts, too. Cueto’s line could’ve been better on Tuesday if not for a hiccup in the third inning, when he surrendered three solo shots. Outside that one inning, Cueto only gave up two hits and kept the team in the game long enough for the offense to explode. Another quality start from a man who’s done it for 15 years.
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