The Chicago White Sox earned their first victory of the 2024 campaign behind another dominant performance by Garrett Crochet. The South Siders mustered up just enough offense and flashed some leather to top the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Tuesday.
Paul DeJong's second homer of the season, a pinch-hit blast, put the White Sox ahead 2-1 in the seventh inning. The tie-breaking homer answered Marcel Ozuna's equalizing homer in the top half of the inning. Without DeJong's long ball, Crochet would've received a no-decision.
Dominant
A no-decision would've been quite an injustice for Chicago's blossoming ace. Crochet again displayed his brilliance but did so against one of baseball's best lineups. The White Sox' Opening Day starter allowed a walk and three hits and fanned eight over seven innings, with Ozuna's solo homer as the only blemish on the lefty's evening.
Former White Sox pitcher Reynaldo Lopez signed with Atlanta in the offseason and made his team debut. Lopez tossed six innings, allowing only one run and four hits in an impressive performance.
Just Enough
Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn each added RBI bloop singles to aid in the Sox' first win of the season. Sheets got the White Sox on the board and opened the game's scoring in the sixth when he drove in Andrew Benintendi.
In the eighth, Vaughn's two-out duck snort allowed Luis Robert Jr., who reached base on a double, to score. The third run expanded the South Siders' lead to two.
All Is Well That Ends Well
John Brebbia relieved Crochet in the eighth, and the righty struggled with command by walking two hitters. He recorded one out and left runners first and second for Michael Kopech. The situation started to unravel when Kopech walked Ozzie Albies to load the bases, but the hard-throwing righty escaped the jam with a first-to-third double play on Austin Riley's groundball.
Kopech earned his first career save, which wasn't easy as he required 39 pitches to record five outs. In the ninth, he allowed Ozuna's second homer of the game with one out. The 27-year-old issued a two-out walk to Michael Harris and a single to Orlando Arcia but escaped again after inducing Travis d'Arnaud to pop out.
News and Notes
Robert Jr.'s double ended a 0-for-12 stretch.
Veteran backstop Max Stassi began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. Outfielder Robbie Grossman, who joined the White Sox at the end of Spring Training, was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte.
White Sox skipper Pedro Grifol said there's a chance that Eloy Jimenez could avoid the injured list. The Sox' DH is day-to-day with a left adductor injury.
Chicago designated reliever Sammy Peralta for assignment, and the Seattle Mariners claimed the lefty off waivers.
What's On Tap Next?
The White Sox will try to win the series in Wednesday's rubber match against the Braves, weather permitting. Chicago will go with reliever Dominic Leone to open the game as the Braves counter with ace Spencer Strider. First pitch is at 1:10 PM CT and the game will air on NBC Sports Chicago.
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