Like many of our friends throughout the SB Nation network, we are simulating the 2020 MLB season with MLB The Show 20. While we are unable to stream the games as they would otherwise be happening, we will try to get ahead of the curve and post about the games on the same day they would have taken place. Or, you know, at least get them back on schedule. Now, onto the recap!
The simulated Detroit Tigers finally snapped a season-long six-game losing streak on Wednesday, downing the Chicago White Sox 6-3. As they have all season long, C.J. Cron and Jeimer Candelario came through with big home runs, and the Tigers padded their lead late to seal a much-needed victory.
Like Tuesday’s game, the Tigers took an early lead, this one a 2-0 advantage in the second. Jonathan Schoop led off the frame with a ground-rule double, but was still standing on second base as the next two hitters were retired. But Austin Romine came through with two outs, turning on a Lucas Giolito fastball for his eighth home run of the year.
But an easy win was not in the cards. The BABIP gods continued their revenge tour against Tigers pitching in the bottom half of the inning. The White Sox poked three seeing-eye singles through the infield to cut Detroit’s lead to 2-1. Two more weak grounders found Tigers leather, however, and they were able to escape with the lead intact.
Chicago’s hit parade continued in the third. A pair of opposite field singles put two runners on with one out, and Tim Anderson continued his abuse of the Tigers with yet another double. This one scored both runners and gave Chicago a 3-2 lead.
That score held until the top of the sixth, when C.J. Cron took Giolito deep for a solo home run, his 23rd of the season. The White Sox went to their bullpen immediately after Cron’s homer, and Jace Fry walked the first hitter he faced. Any thoughts of a Tiger rally were snuffed out, however, when Christin Stewart’s sharp grounder went directly to a White Sox defender (naturally) for an inning-ending double play.
But after several days of seeing the opposition come through with big hits in the late innings, the Tigers offense finally took control in this one. Jeimer Candelario hit a solo home run in the eighth to break the 3-3 tie, and the Tigers added two insurance runs later in the frame. Miguel Cabrera roped a double to right, and Cron added a single — one Cabrera was unable to advance on — to put two runners on with no outs. Christin Stewart lined a single up the middle to score Cabrera, and a sacrifice fly from Cameron Maybin brought Cron in to make the score 6-3.
And... that was it. The Tigers bullpen held firm in this one, with scoreless innings from Tyler Alexander, Buck Farmer, and Joe Jimenez to seal the win. The Sox put a runner in scoring position against Alexander in the seventh, but he wiggled out of trouble, while Farmer helped himself with a 1-6-3 double play following a one-out walk in the eighth. Jimenez put his recent struggles behind him with a clean 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save of the year.
Check out our full simulation stats here!