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For the first time since May 25, the White Sox have more wins than they do losses, and they can thank their defense for making it possible.

The White Sox turned four double plays behind Michael Kopech and the bullpen to keep the Rockies off the board until the ninth inning. The Rockies turned three double plays themselves, but one they botched allowed the Sox to score the game’s first run, and another clutch hit from Yoán Moncada in the seventh inning stood as the difference.

Kopech continued his recent trend of looking neither overpowering nor punishable. He scattered six hits and three walks over 5⅓ innings, but he managed to induce eight groundouts, including a few with impeccable timing:

Second inning: After loading the bases with one out on two walks and an infield single, he falls behind ninth-hitting Brian Serven 2-0 before an Ethan Katz mound visit. After Katz departs, Kopech throws three straight strikes, including one that ends up toward Tim Anderson for n inning 6-4-3 double play.

Fifth inning: The White Sox defense experiences its only lapses when Charlie Blackmon’s hot shot gets through José Abreu, with Blackmon stretching it to a double on Andrew Vaughn. Garrett Hampson’s grounder then gets past Anderson’s backhand attempt to put runners on the corners with one out for Kris Bryant, but he pounds a fastball into the ground for another 6-4-3.

Sixth inning: Kopech departs after a one-out single, but Jimmy Lambert comes in and gets credit for two outs against one batter when Ryan McMahon hits a grounder up the middle to Anderson, who starts a simple 6-3.

Seventh inning: The White Sox save their best effort for last, as Abreu helps get Joe Kelly out of burgeoning trouble. This time he handles a grounder by Blackmon and starts a picturesque 3-6-3.

The White Sox offense had their own troubles with runners on base. Vaughn and Abreu had particularly brutal games by making 10 outs over an 0-for-7 night, with Vaughn grounding into two DPs to Abreu’s one. It also didn’t help that Yasmani Grandal was the lead runner, and couldn’t come close to scoring from first on AJ Pollock’s two-out double to the right-center gap in the second inning when just about everybody else gets the green light.

Pollock almost ended the White Sox’s third scoring opportunity of the game in the fourth when he grounded to short with runners on the corners and one out, but Hampson got a bad hop and couldn’t recover in time for any out, so Eloy Jiménez scored from third for a 1-0 lead.

The Sox’s second run would have to wait, because even though the Sox had the bases loaded with still only one out later that inning, German Márquez rallied to overmatch Adam Engel for a strikeout, and got Anderson to ground to short.

It finally arrived in the seventh with three consecutive successful at-bats. Engel led off against Jake Bird with a single through the middle, and while he couldn’t go anywhere on Anderson’s lineout to center, Moncada found room in right with a scorched double that scored Engel for a 2-0 lead.

That run mattered, because Liam Hendriks was scored upon for the third time in as many second-half outings. McMahon redirected a 2-1 fastball over the wall in left to make it a 2-1 game, and Hendriks had to work to get three outs over the next four batters. He walked Elias Diaz to bring Blackmon to the plate, but he was able to win an eight-pitch battle by jamming him into a groundout to second.

*Grandal went 3-for-4, all singles.

*Kopech’s fastball averaged 94.6 mph, which is fine, especially when it had the up-in-the-zone life to get nine whiffs.

*Hats off to this fine fellow for representing Sox Machine during the game. Make yourself known if you see this.

Record: 49-48 | Box score | Statcast

Writing about the White Sox for a 16th season, first here, then at South Side Sox, and now here again. Let’s talk curling.

this has felt like the most hard-fought 3 game winning streak possible.

go blow em out tomorrow buckos. not loving what i’m seeing from liam lately.

I am not worried about Liam. He sometimes has these weird stretches, and then he becomes unhittable again. Generally happens after he goes on a prolonged absences like when he does not pitch in a week or so. He seems to be a pitcher that needs constant action.

The W number is higher than the L number that’s gotta be a typo

Spotted an odd Hendriks thing: https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2022/7/26/23279708/white-sox-liam-hendriks-faces-special-challenges-pitching-in-colorados-thin-air It turns out he’s overly sensitive to high altitude. Glad it all worked out, but using him yesterday might be yet another low-key strange La Russa decision.

So you’re criticizing TLR for using his All Star closer in a 2 run game where he got the save? Got it

I don’t blame TLR for using his 54 million dollar closer in a closing situation.

Longtime lurker to the podcasts. Recent patreon subscriber. Absolutely love the site and all the content.

As a new dad, Soxmachine and FutureSox have quickly become my sole resources to stay up on the Sox. Always happy to rep them!

– Denver Sox fan with a sign

Congratulations and welcome! Don’t be a stranger.

Ditto. Happy to see your post. Congratulations to your new baby, and the Sox experience. Thanks for sharing!

Nice, and thanks! How old is your kid? Trying to figure out whether it’d be worth trying a Sox game later in the year with Mini Margalus. He only made it through five innings of a Sounds game, so I’m thinking next year for a game that requires real time and money.

He just turned 8 months (pretty close to your kiddo if I remember correctly?). It was definitely an All-hands-on-deck event with a few friends and some grandparents to hand him around. Definitely worth the effort!

Congratulations! Welcome to fatherhood and Sox Machine.

I cannot believe you are not using the shot of you holding up the sign as your profile picture! Denver Sox Fan with Sign is now the V-J Day in Times Square of Sox Machine images. All you have to do is click on the icon next to “Howdy, Username” and scroll down to where you can upload an image for a profile picture.

He should also change his username to “Denver Sox Fan with a Sign”.

Come for the writing, stay for the community. Or come for the community, stay for the writing. We’re glad you’re here either way.

Thanks all! Will definitely get those profile changes later. Back for Round 2 at Coors today

Dear White Sox, stop hitting ground balls… especially on the first pitch of an AB.