After struggling in his last outing against the Athletics, giving up three runs in two-thirds of an inning, Hagen Smith looked much more like himself as the starter in today’s game against the Royals.
Only allowing one baserunner over two innings of work, Smith struck out five batters, showcasing the type of dominance we know he’s capable of.
Unfortunately, the pitchers who followed Smith didn’t have their best stuff, as Erick Fedde, Alexander Alberto, and Brandon Eisert combined to give up ten runs to the Royals (eight earned).
On the offensive side, Miguel Vargas continued his hot Spring, getting on base four times in his four plate appearances.
Edgar Quero drove in another run, and Luisangel Acuna got two more hits, so the sky is blue. These two continue to shine and impress at the plate!
Scoring Summary
- Top 1st: Edgar Quero singles to center field, Colson Montgomery scores — White Sox lead 1-0.
- Top 3rd: Austin Hays steals 2nd base, Miguel Vargas scores on wild pitch — White Sox lead 2-0.
- Top 8th: Tanner Murray hits a sacrifice fly to left field, Andy Weber scores — White Sox trail 8-3.
- Top 8th: Dustin Harris singles to right field, Caden Connor scores — White Sox trail 8-4.
Full Box Score
Offensive Summary
- Andrew Benintendi (LF): 0-for-4 ,2 K
- Dustin Harris (PH-RF): 1-for-1, RBI
- Colson Montgomery (SS): 1-for-5, R, 3 K
- Darren Baker (CF): 0-for-0
- Miguel Vargas (3B): 2-for-2, 2 2B, R, 2 BB
- Drew Romo (C): 0-for-1
- Austin Hays (RF): 1-for-4
- Rikku Nishida (RF-LF): 0-for-1
- Edgar Quero (C): 1-for-4, RBI, 2 K
- Andy Weber (PR-2B): 0-for-1, R
- Luisangel Acuna (CF): 2-for-3, BB
- Caden Connor (PR-1B): 0-for-0, R
- Lamonte Wade Jr. (1B): 1-for-3, BB, K
- Jeral Perez (PR-3B): 0-for-0
- Korey Lee (DH): 0-for-3, BB 3 K
- William Bergolla Jr. (2B): 0-for-3, K
- Tanner Murray (2B-SS): 0-for-0, RBI
Totals: 35 AB, 4 R, 9 H, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 12 K
Pitching Summary:
- Hagen Smith: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
- Erick Fedde (L, BS): 3.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
- Alexander Alberto: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
- Brandon Eisert: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Totals: 8.0 IP, 13 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 12 K
Key Performers
Hagen Smith (SP): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
In a great bounce-back outing, Hagen Smith looked dominant, striking out five hitters in just two innings of work over 30 total pitches.
He averaged 96.2 MPH on his fastball over 19 offerings, but what was most notable was the introduction of his cutter as another piece to his arsenal.
It’s fascinating to see Smith add another offering, as he’s typically relied heavily on his fastball and slider, without a consistent, reliable third pitch. He’s still mixing in a changeup, but it’ll be interesting to see which of the two lesser-used pitches he’ll lean on going forward.
Miguel Vargas: 2-for-2, 2 2B, R, 2 BB
Vargas continues to be a consistent, reliable force in the middle of the lineup throughout Spring Training. With Teel out, it looks like Vargas could slot in there somewhere between 3-5 in the lineup come the regular season, and he’s sure looking like the disciplined hitter we know him to be.
Luisangel Acuña: 2-for-3, BB
Through 31 at-bats in Spring, Acuna is batting .484. You might want to read that twice. Chris Getz knew what he saw when acquiring him from the New York Mets, and so far, it’s paying off in a positive way.
Updates
Mike Vasil answered some questions from the media this morning, as he and the team continue to await the results of further testing on his right arm soreness.
Next Game
The Sox will face off against the Rangers at 7:05 CT. Sean Burke is projected as the White Sox’s starter, while he’ll face Mackenzie Gore for the Rangers.
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Featured Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
