High-end players shine for White Sox in Game 1 win over Oakland

Lucas Giolito

My snap judgment of the Oakland Athletics: They have a solid and deep pitching staff, with a really good bullpen -- and several decent-to-good position players, but no real stars, especially with third baseman Matt Chapman out for the season after having hip surgery.

That's where the White Sox have an advantage on the A's: The South Siders have several guys performing at an all-star level in 2020. No, the Sox can't match Oakland's pitching depth, but they may not have to in a short series if their best players come up big.

We saw that happen Tuesday in Game 1, as Lucas Giolito, Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson led the Sox to a 4-1 victory in the opener of the best-of-three series.

Game 2 is Wednesday at 2 p.m. CDT.

Here are the stat lines for those three key players mentioned above:

Giolito: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 8 Ks, 1 BB, 100 pitches, 65 strikes

Anderson: 3 for 4, double, 2 singles, run scored

Abreu: 2 for 4, 2-run HR, single

Yes, that's what you need from your best guys in the playoffs. And Yasmani Grandal, the Sox's big free-agent acquisition from last offseason, showed up with a solo home run in the eighth inning to give the team an insurance run.

Adam Engel also had a good game, 2 for 4 with a solo home run in the second inning to open the scoring. 

The Sox improved to 15-0 against left-handed starters this season by scoring three runs in 3.1 innings against Oakland's Jesus Luzardo.

But the story of the day was Giolito, who retired the first 18 batters he faced. He did not allow a runner until Tommy La Stella singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning. Giolito retired the next three batters in succession after that.

Only in the eighth did the Sox's ace stumble. He walked the leadoff batter and gave up a single to Jake Lamb, putting runners at first and third with no outs. However, Evan Marshall and Aaron Bummer combined to limit the damage to one run in relief, and closer Alex Colome worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the save.

Of note: Grandal served as the designated hitter, while James McCann was in his customary role as Giolito's personal catcher. That means struggling veteran DH Edwin Encarnacion took a seat on the bench.

Left fielder Eloy Jimenez is on the playoff roster, but he was not in the lineup Tuesday. He missed his fourth straight game with a sprained right foot. If he returns Wednesday, it could be as the designated hitter. We may have seen the last of Encarnacion, who is batting .157 for the season, despite 10 home runs. 

Leury Garcia returned from the 45-day injured list to start in left field Tuesday, and predictably, he went a rusty 0 for 4. Engel got the nod in right field against the left-handed Oakland starter, instead of Nomar Mazara, and that move obviously paid dividends for the Sox.

Oakland will start the American League Pitcher of the Month for September on Wednesday, former Sox right-hander Chris Bassitt. Will Mazara get an opportunity to get back in there in a more favorable matchup for him, or will we see Garcia again?

The guess here is Engel plays in Game 2 regardless. If Jimenez is able to DH, we could see Engel in left and Mazara in right. Or maybe Sox manager Rick Renteria sticks with Tuesday's winning lineup, and we once again see Garcia in left and Engel in right.

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel will be on the mound for the Sox, and we'll see if he can use his postseason experience to his advantage.