Shane Smith and Co. shut the Royals out for the first time this season. The defense was also excellent, backed by bats springing extra base hits and back-to-back homers.
Smith started the game with a seven-pitch scoreless inning. Chase Meidroth, who hit leadoff, started with a single. With one out, Edgar Quero sent Meidroth home with an RBI double.
Not to be outdone, Lenyn Sosa followed with an RBI double as well, making it 2-0 early.
But the doubles didn’t stop there — Curtis Mead was next (and last in the frame) to hit an RBI double to give the Good Guys a 3-0 lead.
Smith once again had a 1-2-3 inning in the second, but Noah Cameron responded with his own eight-pitch frame. With two outs in the top of the third, the Royals got lucky with a Meidroth fielding error, and the White Sox got fortunate with a ground-rule double instead of a homer. The luck remained after Bobby Witt Jr. grounded out to strand both runners, but ran out after they were once again retired in order.
Mead singled in an otherwise quiet fourth inning, and then in his return to the majors Korey Lee knocked a ball into the stands for a two-run homer. With two outs, Brooks Baldwin followed Lee with another homer, making it 6-0.
But Baldwin wasn’t only a home-run hitter tonight, he also put on a defensive clinic, with two of the three outs in order.
Miguel Vargas took advantage of a sleepy outfield by sliding into second on a hit leading off in the fifth inning, but was left on base.
Smith walked a batter in the sixth, but ended the inning with a perfect pitch for a ground out double play. And he came back out for the seventh, the deepest he’s been in his short career, and struck out Salvador Pérez with a ball that left his grip at 97 mph, and only pitch No. 80 of the night. Not bad for a Rule 5 draft pick.
Once again, Vargas hustled to second for his second double of the night. Sosa singled to send Vargas home, adding to the already crooked score.
Tyler Gilbert came in for the eighth and kept Kansas City silent. Lee picked up a two-out walk in the eighth but couldn’t advance. Witt doubled with two outs, but Gilbert snagged the last one on a pop-up from Vinnie Pasquantino.