The White Sox lose 7-3 in an unaired afternoon game

Before I dive into this real dumpster fire of a game, here is some good news:

Sounds as if Colson Montgomery was taking some swings off the Trajekt machine today among his activities. White Sox said he is expected to play at some point Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 6, 2025

Now, let’s get to how the South Siders stunk up the field today.

The White Sox had single singles in the first and second, but Justin Verlander kept them in their place, scoreless.

Jonathan Cannon faced his first big challenge of the day in the bottom of the second. Matt Chapman started the half with a home run on a line drive to center field. Patrick Bailey singled and stole second base. Flustered despite having two outs, Cannon plunked Mike Yastrzemski, but recovered to escaped the jam as he struck out a swinging Tyler Fitzgerald.

The top of the third was easy for the Giants. The same can’t be said for the White Sox, and Cannon, in the bottom of the inning. Willy Adames slapped a one-out hit, and Jung Hoo Lee homered on a line drive to right-center. Chapman, refusing to go quietly, hit his second homer of the afternoon. Cannon did get the first two outs of the frame with swinging strikeouts, and Bailey popped out to third in foul territory to end the inning.

The fourth looked promising for the South Siders as an on-fire Brandon Drury led off with a double. Joey Gallo once more struck out to mark the second out, but Omar Narváez kept the inning alive with a single to score Drury and put the Sox on the board by trimming the deficit to 4-1. Tyler Gilbert replaced the struggling Cannon and got two easy outs to open the fourth. Good, right? Not really. The Giants continued to dominate the poor pitching. Yastrzemski singled, then Fitzgerald singled on a bunt. LaMonte Wade Jr. was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But thankfully Adames struck out, and Brooks Baldwin gloved a grounder from Lee to keep any runners from scoring.

In the fifth Verlander came out of the game, and Sean Hjelle took over for three quick outs. Gilbert answered by retiring the Giants in order and maintaining some order.

Tyler Rogers replaced Hjelle, and just like the previous inning, the batters were retired in order. Jared Shuster replaced Gilbert. Shuster has had a rough time in Spring Training so far and would continue down that path for the bottom of the sixth: Wilmer Flores started with a single, and Yastrzemski homered to put the Giants up by five. Christian Koss singled with two outs but was caught stealing to end the sixth.

Unfortunately, the sixth inning would claim a victim.

Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman go back-to-back pic.twitter.com/qCLfBHl7gt

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) March 6, 2025

Camilo Doval came in and retired the Sox in order. Shuster allowed a single to one of the fastest players in the league, Grant McCray, who stole not one but two bases before the second batter could put a ball in play. With that, Casey Schmitt doubled to center, sending McCray home and putting the Giants up, 7-1.

Like clockwork, the Sox were retired in order, this time by Joey Lucchesi. Penn Murfee, however, answered by doing the same thing.

The ninth inning would bring a pathetic White Sox rally with one out: Maton drew a walk, and Adam Hackenberg homered. Now only down by four, Kyle Teel grounded out, but fellow ex-Red Sox Braden Montgomery kept the inning alive with a single. Alas, that wouldn’t be enough, as Wilfred Veras ended yet another loss by sending a fly ball straight to the glove of McCray in center to end the game.