Cease struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings, and Engel marked his season debut by robbing the Tigers’ Niko Goodrum of a home run.
Dylan Cease was glad to see Adam Engel back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Tigers. And on the rare occasion Cease needed help, Engel was there to provide the assistance.
Cease struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings and beat Detroit 3-0. Engel, making his season debut after being activated Sunday from the injured list, leapt to take away a Niko Goodrum homer in the fifth, made a running play to begin the game on a sinking Akil Baddoo liner and even stole a base.
“That was probably the most incredible catch I’ve ever had behind me,” Cease said of Engel’s play in the fifth. “He made a couple great plays and I couldn’t be happier to have him back. The guy is, you know what you’re going to get out of Adam.”
When he faces the Tigers, the Sox know what they’re getting from Cease.
With the win, Cease improved to 7-0 with a 1.91 ERA in seven career starts against Detroit. He said he had at least three of his pitches working for strikes, and bounced back well from his June 1 start at Cleveland when he allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings.
“Came in with a good plan and to execute that many pitches is what I’m here for,” Cease said.
Engel is with the Sox to provide defense, speed and chip in offense with his right-handed bat. Of course, Engel is known for taking away home runs, and he didn’t need long to do that this year after his return following a right hamstring issue.
“As a defender, that’s our job to go out there and make your pitcher feel comfortable,” Engel said. “Let him know if he does his job and throws strikes, we are going to do our job and play good defense behind him.”
While Engel returned, the bad news for the Sox was Billy Hamilton going on the IL with a right oblique strain. Hamilton, who was developing a niche as a spark plug, was seen grabbing at his right side during his fourth-inning at-bat Saturday.
The latest on Kopech, Fry
Michael Kopech, on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring since May 31 (retroactive to May 28), is having normal soreness but responding “very well” to a ramped-up throwing program, Sox manager Tony La Russa said.
La Russa said there isn’t a final determination of when the Sox will activate Kopech, but he’s progressing and that “everything is going in the right direction.”
As for left-handed reliever Jace Fry (microdiscectomy), he entered Sunday with no ERA in five innings during his rehab stint at Charlotte. La Russa said the Sox could use him, and that Fry is being careful as things progress.
“We are optimistic but it’s slow play,” La Russa said.
Abreu gets a breather
The Sox gave Jose Abreu a day off Sunday to rest, which is effectively two days off because of Monday’s open date. Abreu is 4 for 26 in his last eight games, and struck out twice in Saturday’s loss.
In place of Abreu, Andrew Vaughn started at first for the fifth time this year.
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3z5Ey2k
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