AJ Pollock hit a chopper to 3rd with two outs within the eighth inning Monday in opposition to the Houston Astros.
Alex Bregman charged however couldn’t give you the ball, and Pollock reached on an infield hit.
It was the start of an enormous rally for the Chicago White Sox.
Pollock superior to 3rd on Andrew Vaughn’s double to proper and scored on Eloy Jiménez’s game-tying two-run double to left. The Sox pulled forward later within the inning on Yoán Moncada’s two-run single to middle.
Pollock had two hits within the 4-2 win. It was his third straight two-hit sport as he fills in on the prime of the order for injured shortstop Tim Anderson.
Pollock had three hits, an RBI and a run Aug. 7 in opposition to the Texas Rangers in his first sport within the leadoff spot with Anderson out, first with a two-game suspension after which the hand damage. And Pollock has continued to hit.
He led off Saturday with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly, and he added a solo house run within the eighth in a 6-4 win in opposition to the Detroit Tigers.
He homered Sunday main off the third, then doubled within the fifth and scored the tying run in a 5-3 victory in opposition to the Tigers.
Pollock went 11-for-28 with 4 doubles, two house runs, 4 RBIs and 6 runs in his first seven video games with Anderson out. He slashed .393/.438/.750 in the course of the stretch.
“Honestly it’s weird when you look at the numbers,” Pollock mentioned earlier than Monday’s sport. “For me, they are pretty skewed, but I don’t know if that’s a freak thing or what.”
Pollock entered Tuesday’s must-see pitching matchup between Dylan Cease and Astros veteran Justin Verlander slashing .397/.435/.641 in 18 video games this season within the No. 1 slot.
“It really shouldn’t matter,” Pollock mentioned of the spot within the lineup. “As a hitter you prepare the same way. Maybe get things going a little bit quicker when you are in the leadoff spot. But other than that, nothing really changes.”
He was 31-for-78 with seven doubles, 4 house runs, 12 RBIs and 14 runs in these 18 video games.
“You look at his credentials,” La Russa mentioned Sunday. “He’s a quality big-league hitter and big-league defender. He saw the need when Tim was missing. If he had to hit second, third or fourth, he’d do that too.”
Overall, Pollock is slashing .246/.295/.378 with 20 doubles, seven house runs, 39 RBIs and 40 runs in 95 video games.
He was again within the prime spot and enjoying middle discipline Tuesday. It was his twelfth begin in middle this season, with 60 in left and 10 in proper.
Starting middle fielder Luis Robert continues to get better from a sprained left wrist suffered Friday in opposition to the Tigers whereas making an attempt to steal second base.
La Russa mentioned earlier than Tuesday’s sport the bottom line is Robert making enchancment along with his swing.
“Everything else is ready to play,” La Russa mentioned. “He was not near enough to 100% to play this game (Tuesday), but he’s doing treatment and we’re anxious to see the swings he takes.”
La Russa doesn’t see a necessity for Robert to go on the injured listing.
“He may play as early as (Wednesday) or sometime in the next couple of days,” La Russa mentioned. “He’s feeling better, he’s just got to take swings.”
As for Anderson, the Sox shortstop is sidelined for six weeks after tearing the sagittal band on his left center finger Aug. 6 in opposition to the Rangers.
“He’s a quick healer,” La Russa mentioned. “He’s always been ‘sooner rather than later,’ but he still has a cast on his finger. (It) doesn’t come off until Thursday. I think once he starts getting functional, it’ll happen pretty fast. Not real fast, just faster than normal.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com