The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians were forced to go to their bullpens after rain caused a 2-hour, 23-minute delay just ahead of the second inning on Sunday at Rate Field.
When the game resumed, the Sox turned to 2024 first-round draft pick Hagen Smith.
“It was definitely different,” Smith said. “I didn’t really know I was going in until about an hour into the delay, then they said I was going in and it sounded good to me. So I just went from there.”
The lefty struck out three and walked four over two scoreless innings in his major-league debut, earning the win and aiding the Sox in a 5-3 victory in front of 31,263.
“It was really cool,” Smith said. “Obviously going out there, you just want to go out there and compete and the results are what they are and it turned out pretty good.”
Colson Montgomery hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run during a four-run third inning for the Sox, who won two of three in the important series. With the victory, the first-place Sox (61-56) hold a 3 1/2 game lead over the second-place Detroit Tigers (58-60) in the American League Central. The Guardians (58-61) and Minnesota Twins (58-61) are both four games back.
The Sox also surpassed their win total from last season (60-102).
“It signals progress for us,” Sox manager Will Venable said. “Obviously, we have a long way to go here. But certainly happy about where we’re at now knowing that, yeah, we’ve gone through some stuff here and have continued to push through and just get better and better. And obviously getting our 61st win today and surpassing last year is evidence of that.”
Smith found out he was credited with the win when he returned to the clubhouse.
“That was kind of cool,” he said.
Sunday turned into a bullpen game for the Sox and Guardians, with Smith receiving his first opportunity.
The Sox called up Smith and fellow pitching prospect Tanner McDougal from Triple-A Charlotte before Saturday’s game, optioning pitchers Noah Schultz and David Sandlin to Charlotte and designating pitcher Wikelman González for assignment.
Smith received a huge ovation as he walked to the dugout after warming up on Sunday.
He entered with the Sox trailing 2-1 after the Guardians scored twice in the first against starter Davis Martin (one earned run).
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The Sox scored once in the bottom of the first against Guardians starter Joey Cantillo. Sox leadoff batter Brenton Doyle singled, stole second and scored on a double by Munetaka Murakami.
Miguel Vargas followed with a hustle double on a fly ball to shallow right field that Chase DeLauter couldn’t snag. Murakami advanced to third on the play. Cantillo struck out the next three batters, limiting the Sox to just the one run.
Rain arrived just before the second inning.
“From MLB’s forecasts and from our forecast, it was clear,” Venable said. “And so obviously it wasn’t and ended up not being. Obviously things changed quickly here. Really disappointing that that happened. It just puts both teams in a really tough spot. Can’t control the weather. I thought they did everything they could to make sure we were good to go. Obviously, just wasn’t the case.”
Both starters were taken out after the lengthy delay, with Smith entering for the Sox and Tim Herrin for the Guardians.
Smith struck out Brayan Rocchio, the first batter he faced, swinging. He walked Patrick Bailey, but struck out the next two batters for a scoreless inning. The Guardians loaded the bases with two outs in the third inning — each reaching by a walk. Smith got Rocchio to line out to Vargas at third base to end the inning.
“You have these plans to get these young guys a nice soft landing spot,” Venable said. “Second inning after a rain delay is not something that I don’t think he’s done before, and so a challenging situation. And then as his outing unfolded, and he was challenged there in his second inning with the bases loaded. It was a really good test for him, and obviously he came through.”
The Sox made the most of their chance in the bottom of the third. Vargas drew a two-out walk against reliever Craig Yoho, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a double by Randal Grichuk to tie the score.
Braden Montgomery walked. Colson Montgomery then crushed a 1-1 cutter over the right-field wall for his 26th home run of the season. The three-run home run gave the Sox a 5-2 lead.
“Big swing by Colson,” Venable said. “I think he needed that. Been a tough stretch for him here over the last little bit. But that’s what he’s got in there. You know that he’s dangerous every time he’s out there, obviously that was a really big swing for us, and it was a difference in the game.”
Relievers Sean Newcomb (1 1/3 innings), Huascar Brazobán (1 2/3 innings), Bryan Hudson (one inning), Jordan Hicks (one inning) and Trevor Richards (one run in one inning, first save of the season) made the lead hold up as the Sox finished 6-7 during a 13-game stretch against the New York Yankees (2-2), Tampa Bay Rays (2-1), Boston Red Sox (0-3) and Guardians (2-1).
“These games are big games,” Colson Montgomery said. “Not just for now, but later into September. So, getting two games (in the series) was big.”
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