Rodón shows All-Star-caliber form vs. Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- There was Carlos Rodón at the end of the sixth inning of a 4-1 White Sox victory over the Twins on Tuesday night at Target Field, yelling and pounding his chest as he walked off the mound.

Considering the way things have gone lately for the White Sox injury-wise, it might not have been advisable for Rodón to react with such fired-up force, but the American League All-Star certainly earned the moment in helping his team snap a three-game losing streak and pick up its 50th win in 85 games.

With runners on first and third, one out and Rodón protecting a 2-1 lead, he struck out Ryan Jeffers and Max Kepler to end the threat and to end his All-Star first half of the season.

“I just wanted to keep that lead coming out of the inning. It was a big situation,” Rodón said. “Big strikeout. My breaking ball wasn’t great today. They did a good job laying off it. Luckily the fastball showed up a little later. Got us out of some big jams.”

"There's a lot of things that are exciting about him,” manager Tony La Russa said. “But one of the things that's most exciting is how he can rise to the occasion and make pitches in clutch situations. He's done it pretty much every start.”

Rodón struck out at least eight for the ninth straight start, saving his best for last. In that sixth inning, Luis Arraez opened with an infield single off Rodón’s glove. One out later, Arraez moved to second when Nelson Cruz’s fly ball to center was lost in the twilight by Brian Goodwin and fell for a hit. Alex Kirilloff singled home Arraez, sending Cruz to third.

At that point, Rodón shifted into a second gear. He struck out Jeffers with a fastball at 100.4 mph and then fanned Kepler with consecutive fastballs of 99.6 mph, 99.1 and 100.1, per Statcast.

“We get in a situation where we need a strikeout,” Rodón said. “Kind of reach in the back pocket and throw a little harder.”

The White Sox only knocked out one hit of support behind Rodón, a two-run, two-out single from Zack Collins off José Berríos (7-3) in the second, but Rodón made it work. They added two runs in the eighth off Alexander Colome, with Collins once again getting things going via a double to right-center. Collins moved into the starting role behind the plate with Yasmani Grandal out 4-to-6 weeks with a torn tendon in his left knee.

“I’ve prepared for this for years now,” Collins said. “We can’t always look at one guy to carry the team, look at one guy to be at the position the whole time. Guys, especially with us, have been hurt a lot this year, it sucks that it has to happen, a serious injury like that, but I’m sure he’ll be back stronger than ever.

“For me, I’m going out there and doing the same thing I’ve been doing all year. Just competing, trying to give good at-bats and trying to get wins.”

It was an All-Star performance overall, as closer Liam Hendriks, also on the AL team, picked up his 22nd save by throwing two perfect innings. He needed 27 pitches after not pitching since July 1. Hendriks’ effort was helped by Billy Hamilton’s spectacular diving catch near the center-field wall to rob Kepler, made all the more impressive by it coming in a driving rainstorm.

“That's probably one of the top ones,” Hamilton said of the catch. “I think that's the top one, to be honest with you. I was trying to be like my buddy [Twins center fielder Byron] Buxton over there. He makes those plays all the time, so I was just trying to do one just like him."

This amazing first half for Rodón (7-3) concluded with a 2.31 ERA and 130 strikeouts against 26 walks over 89 2/3 innings. Next step Colorado, and maybe as the AL starter in the Midsummer Classic on July 13 at Coors Field. It’s something Rodón now can think about with no more individual starts on the ledger.

“Like I said, I said last time, I am trying to figure out what I’m going to have for dinner,” Rodón said. “But yeah, it’s going to be fun.”

“He gets that little extra with his fastball, makes a nasty breaking ball and he's got a quality changeup,” La Russa said. “So he has really risen to the occasion. That's a great box to check if you're a starting pitcher. It'll get you to pitch out of a lot of situations. Get you to pitch in the clutch where they can't remove you.”