The Chicago White Sox dropped a 10-4 decision to the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium on Sunday in spring training play. Despite Dustin Harris's 1-for-1 with an RBI effort at the plate, the Sox could not overcome a sizable deficit. Hagen Smith worked 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing 0 earned runs on 0 hits. The Royals out-hit the Sox 13-9 on the day. Despite the result, the coaching staff gathered useful data on the current state of the roster. Spring training losses sting, but the information gained will inform decisions as Opening Day approaches.
Key Performers
Dustin Harris was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-1 with an RBI. His steady bat was exactly what the lineup needed. Performances like this give the Sox confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Edgar Quero provided support, going 1-for-4 with an RBI, Miguel Vargas also contributed, going 2-for-2 with two doubles, and Luisangel Acuña chipped in, going 2-for-3. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Luca Tresh led the Royals offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI day. Peyton Wilson also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI. Gavin Cross added a 1-for-2 with a double and three RBI effort as well. The Royals offense proved to be too much for the Sox pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Hagen Smith got the start, struggling with his command, working 2.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 0 hits with five strikeouts. He threw 30 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Sox evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.3 innings of work, allowing 8 earned runs while striking out seven. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
Among the relievers, Erick Fedde stood out with 3.2 innings of 3-run work, striking out four. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Sox struck first, scoring a run in the first inning. The Sox pushed across a run in the third. Royals struck back with a run in the third. Royals added a run in the fourth. Royals tacked on a run in the fifth. Royals pushed across five runs in the seventh. The Sox struck back with two runs in the eighth. Royals answered with two runs in the eighth. The Royals were able to score in five separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Royals out-hit the Sox 13-9, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 7,455 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
It was not the outcome the Sox were looking for, but spring training provides a forgiving environment to work through the rough patches. The focus remains on preparation and development, and the coaching staff will use today as a teaching opportunity. The regular season is right around the corner, and every game is a chance to improve.
