Instant Analysis: White Sox 5, Nats 4
The Nationals got good work out of opener PJ Poulin and bulk arm Miles Mikolas, but rookie Riley Cornelio took the loss in his MLB debut
CHICAGO – The Nationals tried out another unconventional pitching strategy tonight, hoping for the same positive results they got five days ago when they used an opener and two starters in relief. They weren’t so fortunate this time around, with rookie Riley Cornelio thrust into a high-leverage spot and unable to succeed in the spotlight.
Clinging to a one-run lead entering the seventh, Blake Butera handed over the game to Cornelio, making his MLB debut. The rookie right-hander immediately issued two walks and botched a throw to first base on a bunt attempt, ultimately giving the White Sox the tying and go-ahead runs. Cornelio was granted new life when Brady House homered in the top of the eighth to tie the game, but he gave the lead right back in the bottom of the inning via an infield single, a four-pitch walk, a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.
Both teams’ left-handed openers did their job, with PJ Poulin tossing 1 2/3 innings and Bryan Hudson tossing one inning of scoreless ball. And both team’s right-handed “bulk arms” performed well after that. Miles Mikolas gave up a solo homer to Munetaka Murakami but otherwise was solid over 3 2/3 innings of work. Erick Fedde, meanwhile, finally gave a run to the team that drafted him way back in 2014, but it was unearned as a result of center fielder Luisangel Acuña’s second-inning error.
The Nationals scored a couple more runs in the fifth, though it wasn’t exactly Fedde’s fault. They loaded the bases via a single, catcher’s interference and a walk, then scored when Daylen Lile was granted a borderline check-swing on a 3-2 pitch. House then hustled down the line to narrowly beat out a potential 6-4-3 double play that would’ve ended the inning, bringing another run home.
Needing to plate one more run in the ninth, the Nats got a one-out double from Luis García Jr. but couldn’t get him home to extend the game.
HITTING HIGHLIGHT/LOWLIGHT: Not a lot of highlights to choose from here, so let’s just compliment the Nationals for manufacturing some runs tonight. They got a sacrifice fly from García, then the bases-loaded walk drawn by Lile, then the hustle play by House to ensure another run scored. There were two more outs made on the bases, though. James Wood got picked off first base right away in the top of the first. And when Drew Millas pulled back a safety squeeze bunt attempt in the fifth, Nasim Nuñez wound up in a rundown between third base and home plate. In a tight game with little offense on other side, those little mistakes loomed large.
PITCHING HIGHLIGHT: It’s not exactly dominant work, and he’s not exactly eating up innings by the bundle, but Mikolas has managed to get the job done each of his last two times on the mound. Pitching bulk relief behind Poulin, he delivered four scoreless innings on 61 pitches Sunday against the Giants. Tonight, he came through with 3 2/3 innings, charged with two runs but only on the mound for one of them (Murakami’s homer). Mikolas is being asked to do the bare minimum – and it’s certainly debatable whether this is worth it for the Nationals – but he’s at least giving them a chance when he pitches, which is more than could be said a couple weeks ago.
NOTABLE: Wood has now drawn 26 walks, seven more than any other player in the National League.
UP NEXT: It’s a 4:05 p.m. first pitch here Saturday, with Jake Irvin making the start for the Nats and left-hander Noah Schultz scheduled to scheduled to pitch for the Sox. TV: Nationals TV RADIO: 106.7 FM
I try not to second-guess Butera, but I did *not* like him putting Cornelio in that situation.
Maybe just a little too much pressure to put Cornelio under for his first game. Looks like he has a few good pitches.