The Chicago White Sox players warm up during baseball practice for the American League Divisions Series on Saturday, October 9, 2021 in Chicago. The White Sox will host the Houston Astros in Game 3 on Sunday. (AP Photo / Nam Y. Huh)
CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago White Sox hired Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa in hopes he would oversee a deep run in the postseason and perhaps lead them to their second World Series championship since 1917 .
They didn’t see them make another quick exit. But that’s exactly what they stare at unless there is a sudden turnaround.
The Houston Astros will try to sweep the White Sox when their AL Division Series moves to Chicago for Game 3 on Sunday. </ "We have to keep playing the way we played all season," said White Sox outfielder Luis Robert. “Tomorrow we have to find a way to win the game. I don't know how it is, but we have to find a way to win the game. ”
The Astros, on the other hand, don’t take anything for granted. After winning the AL West, they’re about to make their fifth appearance in the AL Championship Series, a two-pennant run and a World Series championship in 2017 that was overshadowed by a sign theft scandal.
You will send Rookie of the Year candidate Luis Garcia up the hill, while the White Sox decided to go with Dylan Cease over Carlos Rodón.
“We don’t care if it’s 2-0 or It’s 1-0, ”said Astros catcher Martín Maldonado. “We have to treat it like a tight streak and go out there and do our best to win games. You know, we have to keep the momentum. ”
The Astros beat Chicago 15-5, winning the start 6-1 behind a dominant start by Lance McCullers Jr. and then with a 9-4 win. Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker prevailed in this game, and Jose Altuve put down some jewels in the field.
Now Garcia wants to close the series. The 24-year-old right-hander started game 5 of the ALCS against Tampa Bay last season and threw two goalless innings in the 4-3 win. The Astros were knocked out in seven games.
« The stuff he’s got, » said manager Dusty Baker. “The repertoire of pitches that he has. And you know, I’ve seen very young pitchers in such situations and actually had more success than young hitters. ”
Chicago didn’t get the hoped-for starting position from Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito or the pop on the record that it was in first two games. The White Sox have 18 hits on the series – not a double, triple, or homer.
This wasn’t the way the White Sox put it up after running away with the AL Central at 93-69. They beat Cleveland by 13 games in the division and finished with the highest aggregate win since the 2005 World Series championship team won 99:63.
After the White Sox 2-1 wildcard against Oakland last year and then hired La Russa to replace Rick Renteria for a second stint, the White Sox achieved a franchise first. They had never reached the playoffs in any consecutive season.
« We’re not sitting here offended or anything, » said Cease. « We have to do everything we can to perform and execute at a high level. » La Russa said on Saturday that Cease will get the ball when the series moves to Chicago. The 25-year-old right-hander linked Rodón for the team lead in victories while going 13-7 with a 3.91 ERA in 32 starts.
« Thinking about his first bullpen, you could tell he had outstanding talent « said La Russa. “And then I watched the progress, in which he became more consistent in his performance and his sovereign positions, and he takes it with him into the season. All the different situations he had to face. Sometimes he was good early on and then got a little trouble and never stopped competing. ”
Cease, who heard about La Russa’s start on Friday, is“ grateful ”for the chance to play such an important game La Russa acknowledged that Rodón’s health was taken into account when deciding to go with Cease. He also said Rodón could set up a potential Game 4 on Monday after being restricted in the regular season due to shoulder pain and fatigue. The left-handed player has a history of arm and shoulder injuries, throwing just 28 innings in the last two months of the regular season. But he also played a huge role when the White Sox ran away with the division.
Rodón set a career high point for victories by going 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA and forming his first All-Star team. His 24 starts and 132 2/3 innings are the most for him since 2016, well above his total in the previous two years combined.
« I understand the doubts, » said Rodón. « But luckily, I feel good enough to go out and throw the ball and just look forward to watching Dylan Cease at work tomorrow. »
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