With the way Cleveland starter Mike Clevinger pitched on Monday, the Chicago White Sox had no business winning the game.
By the end, after the Sox sprung on Cleveland’s shaky pen to steal a lead, the South Siders proved they believed that was the case, handing the game back to the home club on the wings of shoddy relief pitching and defense.
The game should never have been close, but thanks to a roughshod Cleveland offense, Chicago was allowed to hang in for 7 1⁄2 innings. After Clevenger struck out the side in the first inning, pouring fastballs past (ostensibly) the best three hitters on the White Sox, the Pale Hose defense gave Cleveland at least five outs to score in the bottom of the frame.