Dylan Cease completed the second inning by putting out Nelson Velázquez and Nick Loftin.
He started the third by putting out Drew Waters and Nick Pratto.
Cease had considered one of his higher begins of the season’s second half, serving to the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals, 6-2, in Game 1 of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Cease allowed one run on 4 hits with eight strikeouts and one stroll in 5 1/3 innings.
“Today was solid,” Cease mentioned. “I assumed I commanded the ball fairly properly, blended it up good and the protection and offense performed properly. It was a great recreation.
“I’ve been putting in a lot of work to make adjustments and I haven’t really seen a lot of results yet. But today is a step in the right direction.”
It was his second time dealing with the Royals within the final week. He allowed 4 earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and two walks on Sept. 5 at Kauffman Stadium.
Cease allowed three solo house runs in that recreation. He fared significantly better Tuesday.
“You’ve just got to mix it up to make sure you don’t do the same thing you did (the) previous start,” Cease mentioned of dealing with a staff in consecutive begins. “As always, it’s just executing quality pitches.”
Cease obtained loads of run help early as the primary 5 Sox batters reached base and scored in opposition to Royals starter Brady Singer.
“That’s huge, especially when you have a guy like Dylan Cease throwing the ball,” mentioned proper fielder Gavin Sheets, who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
Tim Anderson started the primary with a single. Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. walked.
Eloy Jiménez reached on an infield hit to 3rd, with Anderson scoring. Yoán Moncada adopted with an RBI single that bought previous Royals second baseman Nick Loftin.
Sheets drove in two with a one-out single to heart. Sheets is anticipated to get a bit of the taking part in time in proper subject after the Sox optioned Oscar Colás to Triple-A Charlotte on Monday.
“I’m excited for the opportunity,” Sheets mentioned. “Obviously I want to play. I want to be in there every day. I’m excited for the opportunity to get back out there. Sometimes you take it for granted and you really miss it. To get back out there and be playing is a lot of fun for me.”
The staff’s remaining run of the inning got here when Elvis Andrus collected an RBI on a fielder’s alternative. The Sox second baseman had two hits and two RBIs.
“Anytime you get a lead like that, it makes things simpler and easier,” Cease mentioned.
As large as the primary inning was for the staff, Sox supervisor Pedro Grifol mentioned Cease’s efficiency within the high of the second was additionally important.
“It was important for (Cease) to come out and get 1-2-3, which he did, and kind of keep the momentum on our side,” Grifol mentioned.
The solely run Cease (7-7) allowed got here on a two-out RBI double by Edward Olivares within the fourth. Cease prevented any extra injury by putting out Velázquez to finish the inning.
It was maybe Cease’s only outing since Aug. 7, when he allowed one hit whereas putting out seven and strolling none in 5 1/3 scoreless innings in opposition to the New York Yankees.
“The stuff is the same (from the past), fastball’s still up there at 97 (mph), breaking balls are good,” Grifol mentioned. “Obviously, we wish him to get faster outs. I’m certain he does, too, so he can keep within the recreation a bit of longer. But if you’ve bought a excessive strikeout man like he’s, you’re going to hit excessive pitch counts (102 pitches Tuesday).
“That’s something we’ll continue to work on, he’ll continue to work on. He’s young. We’re going to figure this thing out and he’s going to be a good one for a long time.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com