Sox Stink Up Kauffman Stadium In Season Opener
By Casey Moffitt in News on Apr 7, 2015 9:45PM
The Chicago White Sox became media darlings with their off-season acquisitions, but despite the excitement the season couldn't have gotten off to a worse start as the Sox were badly beaten by the Kansas City Royals, defending American League champs, 10-1 to start the 2015 campaign yesterday.
Newly acquired starter Jeff Samardzija stunk up Kauffman Stadium, giving up five earned runs during six innings, allowing six hits, walking three and plunking a pair of batters while striking out just once. Samardzija made his third consecutive Opening Day start Monday, the previous two with our North Side team. Oddly enough, Samardzija has been a hot starter on Opening Day, giving up no earned runs during 15 innings in his previous two starts.
The Kansas City Royals were not known for running up scores last season, despite a World Series berth, averaging just four runs per game. But the Royals exploded for 10 runs in the season opener and never lost control of the game.
KC's best weapon last year was their pitching, specifically its bullpen. Royals pitching had the Sox's number yesterday, allowing just five hits. Starter Yordano Ventura was brilliant during his six innings of work before leaving the game with a thumb cramp. The good news is the White Sox struck out just three times.
Other Sox highlights include a towering home run off the bat of Jose Abreu, who scorched a 2-0 Ventura fastball off the outside corner deep into left-center for the Sox lone run.
Another silver lining is that the Sox didn't shoot themselves in the foot defensively, as they committed no errors, turned a pair of double plays and picked off former Sox outfielder Alex Rios at first base on a fly ball to right.
Despite the thumping, it counts as just one loss with 161 games to go. The Sox and Royals will lock horns again tomorrow afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, with Jose Quintana scheduled to start for the Sox and Danny Duffy to start for Kansas City.