The White Sox have won two games in a row for the first time this season, and it only took until May 2nd to do it.
“At this point, you just have to take it day by day,” Andrew Benintendi said. “If you look any further than that, you are going to put yourself in less of a good situation. So, just focus on one day at a time and try to win each day, and hopefully, that amounts to a good streak, 10 or 11 in a row. Who knows?”
On most teams, winning back-to-back games would not be noteworthy, but this is the 2023 White Sox we are talking about. What is notable is that their 75 million-dollar man made a significant impact.
Andrew Benintendi has flown under the radar for most of the season. His Gold Glove Caliber defense has not been what was advertised, and offensively, he has been a non-factor.
Despite batting .277, Benintendi ranks in the fifth percentile in hard hit percentage, the 18th percentile in barrel percentage, 21st in average exit velocity, and expected weighted on-base average. Essentially he is getting most of his hits through slap singles.
But on Tuesday night, Benintendi giveth and Benintendi taketh away.
With two outs in the first inning, he tracked down a 95 mph line drive off the bat of Carlos Correa that would have cleared the left field fence by six feet until Benintendi leaped into the wall to steal a home run.
Then with two outs in the tenth inning, Benintendi worked a six-pitch at-bat culminating in a base hit to left field to score Hanser Alberto from third base for a walk-off win. His White Sox teammates were nice enough not to douse him with ice water during their on-field celebration on this frigid 48-degree night.
“We’re not going to really appreciate everything Benintendi can do until Game 162, and then everyone’s going to see what he really brings to the table,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol told reporters. “I’ve been around him. I know him. He’s a gamer; he’s a winner. I wouldn’t expect anything less from him than that last at-bat right there.”
His performance comes after missing two games against the Rays after getting drilled in the right elbow. The soreness was still lingering on Tuesday.
“It’s going to be sore for a while,” Benintendi said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever been hit on the elbow. It’s good to get out there and play. Just keep doing the treatment. “
Tim Anderson was finally back in action on Tuesday night, and although he did not get a hit, he put together some nice at-bats, which included drawing a 12-pitch walk in the sixth inning.
Michael Kopech also produced a solid start for the White Sox. Despite having to work around five walks, he managed to throw six innings of one-run ball and only allowed one hit with seven strikeouts.
Eloy Jimenez got the White Sox on the board in the seventh inning with a go-ahead two-run homer to left center field. It was Jimenez’s third home run of the season and got Micheal Kopech off the hook for a loss.
Even Jimmy Lambert made an impact out of the bullpen. Lambert was given the unenvious task of pitching the tenth inning with the go-ahead run on second base. He threw a perfect inning, sandwiching a Nick Gordon groundout between a pair of strikeouts, which set up Benintendi’s walk-off single.
“Great ball game. Anytime you have a chance to win a couple in a row, you start building a little momentum, but I’m not getting too far ahead,” Grifol said. “I’m going to stay in tomorrow’s game and get ready for tomorrow.”
