Luis Robert raced to the wall, making an attempt to trace down Jesse Winker’s lengthy fly within the third inning Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Chicago White Sox middle fielder was properly conscious of his environment.
“Before the catch, I was aware of the wall,” Robert mentioned by way of an interpreter. “And then, when you know that, you’re able to adjust. It’s not going to take you by surprise. I was aware of where the wall was, and I was aware on the play.”
Robert jumped, made the catch and crashed into the wall. The splendid play saved a minimum of one run.
Robert additionally displayed his abilities on the plate and on the bases, main the Sox to a 3-2 victory towards the Seattle Mariners within the residence opener in entrance of a sellout crowd of 36,948.
He gave the Sox a lead with a solo homer within the sixth. He reached on a stroll within the eighth, stole second and third and scored what turned out to be an essential insurance coverage run.
“Being able to do that in the home opener is something that is special,” Robert mentioned, “and hopefully it is something I can carry through the whole season.”
If the primary 4 video games are any indication, Robert goes to have a unbelievable season.
He has a minimum of one hit in each recreation. He had two hits, together with an RBI double, in Friday’s opener in Detroit. He singled twice and scored Saturday and had a single and two runs Sunday.
Robert’s two stolen bases Tuesday give him 4 on the season.
“He does everything well,” Sox nearer Liam Hendriks mentioned.
Tuesday’s catch got here at a crucial time. The Sox trailed by a run and the Mariners have been threatening with runners on first and second and one out.
“He definitely tracks some stuff down there,” mentioned starter Vince Velasquez, who allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts and three walks in 4 innings. “It’s very comforting as a pitcher to know that there’s a lot of ground that’s going to be covered.”
Robert didn’t assume twice concerning the wall.
“When you’re on the field, you don’t think about that,” he mentioned. “When you are on the field, you just think of doing your job.”
The Sox tied the sport within the third, and Robert gave them the lead along with his first residence run of the season off starter Matt Brash.
“He had a very good performance,” Robert mentioned of Brash, who allowed two runs and struck out six in 5⅓ innings in his big-league debut. “He executed very well. The second time through, we were able to decipher his pitches and how he was working us. And then from there, we were able to create some runs.”
Robert’s homer to right-center went an estimated 408 toes and had an exit velocity of 110.4 mph, based on MLB Statcast.
“He showed a lot of why he’s so special,” Sox supervisor Tony La Russa mentioned. “What so impressed me, he confirmed it final yr when he got here again after lacking all that point, he actually took good at-bats.
“We punched out a lot (nine times Tuesday), we chased a lot of tough breaking balls and he laid off a bunch. The progress he’s making with controlling that strike zone, for a young hitter it’s really impressive.”
Robert’s stroll main off the eighth set the stage for extra pleasure. He put himself in scoring place by stealing second. And then he moved 90 toes nearer to residence by swiping third.
“It was my decision (to steal third),” Robert mentioned. “It was perfectly set up for me. I was checking (reliever Diego Castillo’s) timing the two pitches before that, and I just thought it was perfect timing for me to take off.”
With José Abreu remaining on first, the second stolen base gave the Sox runners on the corners with one out. Eloy Jiménez grounded to quick. The Mariners received the power at second, however Jiménez beat the throw to first. Robert scored on the play, stretching the result in 3-1.
Jiménez has a minimum of one RBI in every of the primary 4 video games.
The Mariners scored as soon as within the ninth towards Hendriks, however the nearer struck out Mitch Haniger with two on and two outs for his first save. Reynaldo López picked up the win, placing out two in 1⅔ scoreless aid innings, because the Sox gained their third straight.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com