The Chicago White Sox got the last laugh, times 2, sweeping a double header at Yankee Stadium on a 90-degree May Sunday — taking the night cap 5-0 behind the brilliant pitching of Michael Kopech, who had a perfect game going into the 6th inning.
Luis Severino also pitched a shutout through 7 innings; once he left the White Sox scored 5 runs in the 8th off Jonathan Loaisiga.
Tim Anderson capped off the double-header sweep with a 2-run homer in the 7th of the second game to insure the victory. As he circled the bases he brought his finger to his mouth in a ‘hush’ motion.
It was the day after an on-field skirmish and post-game Twitter controversy of Tim Anderson taking exception at being called “Jackie” by Josh Donaldson — a ribbing because he referred to himself as the next Jackie Robinson who would bring ‘fun’ back to baseball in a 2019 Sports Illustrated article. After the on-field skirmish came post-game interviews where Anderson claimed Donaldson was being racist in ribbing him in such a way, never mentioning the Sports Illustrated tie.
The revenge was ‘this close’ to going the other way — in the 1st game Donaldson ‘just missed’ hitting a 3-run homer to centerfield that would have put the Yanks way ahead at the time and possibly won the game. But the ball was caught near the wall in dead center.
And so it goes. The White Sox took 2 of 3 in the 3-game series; the Yankees beat them 3 of 4 in Chicago last week — meaning the Yanks took the season series 4-3. NY’s record is now 29-12 — still the best record in baseball (by 1.5 games over the Dodgers). Chicago pulls to 21-20.
1. Kopech Perfect Game Into the 6th
Kopech came into the game with a 1.54 ERA in this the year of the pitcher. He was 0-1.
He threw a no hitter into the 6th when former roomate and Yankee backup to the backup to the backup catcher Rob Brantly ripped a single to left.
Rob Brantly is the first Yankee baserunner of the eveningpic.twitter.com/DpVIqHgFX1
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 23, 2022
The Yankees got a little bit of a rally going in the 7th, when with two out, Kopech walked Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo. The Yanks beat Kopech last week when he got wild in the 2nd inning and allowed a walk, single, walk, walk, walk, wild pitch for 3 runs after 2 were out.
But not this time — Estevan Florial struck out to end the threat. That left some on Yankee Twitter to speculate — would Aaron Hicks have walked?
2. Severino On Fire
Meanwhile Luis Severino was matching Kopech shutout inning for shutout inning.
Severino got out of a bases loaded, nobody out situation in the 5th. A single, hit-by-pitch, and single loaded the bases — the ump making a bad call on the hit-by-pitch as Andrew Vaughn actually fouled the ball off his foot.
But Severino got Tim Anderson to hit an easy comebacker for an out at home, and then got Yoan Moncada to hit an identical comebacker for an out at home!
Severino then struck out Luis Robert to end the threat!
Sevy gets out of the bases loaded jam and is PUMPEDpic.twitter.com/HimDAr8QFT
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 23, 2022
3. Anderson With Insurance Homer
Jonathan Loaisiga came in to pitch the 8th of the 0-0 game and it wasn’t pretty. Single, strikeout, single, line out — and with 2 out: single, single for a 2-0 White Sox lead.
The Yanks brought in Miguel Castro who served up a 3-run bomb to Tim Anderson for the old ballgame and last laugh.
Don't sleep on Tim Anderson. pic.twitter.com/gaNGRaK1aZ
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 23, 2022
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401354846
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