CHICAGO (AP) — There wasn’t a lot doubt Lance Lynn would return out to complete this one. Supervisor Tony La Russa turned to him and requested how he was feeling.
“He checked out me and stated, ‘Are you good?’” Lynn stated. “I stated, ‘I’m gonna end it. Does that sound good?’ He goes, ‘Sounds good.’ And that was just about it.”
Lynn pitched a five-hitter for the primary full sport and shutout within the main leagues this season, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas Metropolis Royals 6-Zero on a wet Thursday.
Yermín Mercedes saved up his scorching begin with a 485-foot homer. Yoán Moncada went deep, and the White Sox gave supervisor Tony La Russa the win in his first dwelling sport on the South Aspect in 35 years.
Lynn (1-0) struck out 11 and walked none in his second shutout in 238 profession begins, his first since a five-hitter towards the New York Yankees on Could 27, 2014.
Acquired from Texas within the offseason, Lynn threw 79 of 111 pitches for strikes in his fourth profession full sport. The 33-year-old right-hander struck out the primary three batters and didn’t permit a runner till Salvador Perez led off the fifth with an infield single.
La Russa noticed Lynn’s potential when he managed him in 2011 as a rookie with St. Louis. Lynn went on to grow to be an innings-eating workhorse who can hold hitters off steadiness with a wide range of pitches.
“He was actually aggressive,” La Russa stated. “Now, what he’s added is expertise. Ball does various things. He has three totally different fastballs. He has a pleasant breaking ball. He’s actually simply grow to be a veteran pitcher who understands, retains including right here, including there so the hitters need to see various things. It’s actually spectacular.”
Moncada hit a two-run homer within the first, and Mercedes adopted with a protracted shot to left-center towards Brad Keller to make it 3-0. The 28-year-old rookie went 2 for 4, giving him a serious league-leading 15 hits in 27 at-bats. And the White Sox got here away with a straightforward win in a sport delayed greater than two hours at the beginning.
La Russa had not managed a house sport on the South Aspect since a loss to the California Angels on June 11, 1986. Chicago fired him quickly after in a transfer chairman Jerry Reinsdorf regretted permitting, and the White Sox introduced again the Corridor of Famer in October to exchange Rick Renteria, hoping he can push them to a championship.
“I may really feel the joy,” La Russa stated. “The followers are trying ahead to watching this membership.”
KELLER STRUGGLES
Keller (0-1), coming off the shortest Opening Day begin in franchise historical past, acquired tagged for 4 runs and 6 hits in Three 1/Three innings after getting simply 4 outs towards Texas final week.
Lynn, in the meantime, established his fastball and overpowered Kansas Metropolis.
“It was arduous sinker, arduous reduce, belief motion,” Royals supervisor Mike Matheny stated. “I believe that’s in all probability rather a lot just like the dialog that we’ve already had with Brad. He’s acquired the power to predominantly use that pitch — and use the opposite pitches off of it. He’s simply acquired to belief it somewhat bit extra like we noticed the man on the opposite aspect. He trusted it extra at present.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: GM Rick Hahn stated the White Sox count on star SS Tim Anderson (strained left hamstring) to return as soon as he’s eligible to be activated from the 10-day injured listing on April 15. … The White Sox positioned OF Billy Hamilton (strained left hamstring) on the 10-day injured listing and chosen the contract of OF Nick Williams from their coaching facility in Schaumburg. Hamilton was changed within the fifth inning of Wednesday’s loss at Seattle as a consequence of tightness in his hamstring after stealing third. … The White Sox additionally transferred LHP Jace Fry to the 60-day injured listing. He’s recovering from a microdiscectomy to restore a herniated disk.
UP NEXT
The White Sox will attempt to win their 18th straight sport towards a left-handed starter and tie a serious league file set by Atlanta from 2004-05 after they meet Mike Minor (1-0, 6.00) on Saturday. Chicago’s streak dates to a loss to Detroit on Sept. 28, 2019, when lefty Tyler Alexander began for the Tigers however didn’t determine within the choice. RHP Dylan Stop (0-0, 5.79 ERA) pitches Saturday for Chicago.
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