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 Chicago White Sox pounded out 13 runs on 16 hits and blasted the simulated Detroit Tigers by a 13-3 scoreline on Saturday. The loss, Detroit’s fourth in their last five games, dropped them down to third place in the AL Central for the first time in nearly a month.
The White Sox never trailed in this game, but it took a few innings for them to take their first lead. Daniel Norris was sharp early on for the Tigers, allowing just one hit through his first three innings of work. This was far better than Chicago starter Reynaldo Lopez, who left the game after just one pitch due to injury. Young righthander Dane Dunning came on in relief and fared well, holding the Tigers to just four hits in six scoreless innings.
The Sox took the lead in the fourth, and never looked back after that. Yoan Moncada opened the inning with a walk, and Tim Anderson roped a double into the right field gap that scored the runner all the way from first. A pair of groundouts brought Anderson around to score, seemingly ending Chicago’s scoring threat. But Edwin Encarnacion turned on a fastball for his second home run in as many games, stretching the lead to 3-0 before Norris was able to record the final out of the frame.
The fifth inning went even worse for Norris. Nomar Mazara beat the shift with an opposite-field double, and eventually came around to score on a bloop single from Moncada. Anderson launched another double to right, scoring Moncada from second to end Norris’ afternoon. Shao-Ching Chiang did not fare much better at first, and allowed two more runs to score before finally striking out Encarnacion to retire the side.
After the White Sox tacked on another run in the seventh, Harold Castro finally broke through for the Tigers in the eighth with a solo home run, his first of the season. But the Sox answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame to put the game even further out of reach. Worse yet, Bryan Garcia retired the first two batters he faced before hitting Yasmani Grandal with a wayward slider in an 0-2 count. Chicago then followed with six consecutive hits, all but one of which came around to score. Tyler Alexander replaced Garcia after the third hit, but gave up three more of his own before finally retiring the side.
The Tigers added a couple of runs in the ninth, which did little other than deny Chicago reliever Jimmy Cordero the chance of a three-inning save. Cameron Maybin doubled to lead off the frame — he was responsible for three of Detroit’s seven hits on the game — and scored on a Miguel Cabrera double to center. The lumbering veteran moved up to third base on a C.J. Cron fly ball, then scored on a sacrifice fly to bring the Tigers within 10 runs by game’s end.
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