Grandal shows what he can give White Sox in doubleheader

CHICAGO -- Yasmani Grandal knocked out four hits during Saturday’s day-night doubleheader between the White Sox and Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field, which Chicago ended up splitting.

But it was the White Sox designated hitter’s walk coaxed off Cleveland reliever Bryan Shaw in the eighth that set up the team’s decisive two-run rally in a 5-4 victory in the nightcap. The White Sox dropped Game 1, 7-4, with the Guardians scoring three in the top of the ninth off closer Liam Hendriks.

Grandal returned Friday from his injury rehab assignment split between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and an RBI in his first big league game since June 11 due to back issues. The results weren’t a surprise to Grandal, who talked before the doubleheader about being fairly amped up for the 2022 comeback.

“Yesterday for me, individually, I was talking to Dan [Bellino], the umpire behind the plate, and I just kept telling him I'm just hoping to get out of this game healthy,” Grandal said. “That's all I'm looking for. It's getting that mental block out of the way and just kind of let things flow as they go.

“Feeling good today. A little achy here and there, but that's just things that are going to happen when you ramp up again. But yesterday for me was exciting, I was definitely hyped. I think in the fourth inning, I was still shaking. I was just way too hyped up yesterday. It was a plus for me."

That energy transformed into three singles and one RBI in that Game 1 setback, where Grandal also started at DH. But it was his two-out, six-pitch walk off a laboring Shaw in the eighth that loaded the bases for AJ Pollock. Nick Sandlin replaced Shaw, and Pollock hit the second pitch from Sandlin off the glove of third baseman Ernie Clement for a go-ahead two-run single.

It provided the first win of three games after the All-Star break for the White Sox (47-48), who improved to 20-27 at home and 4-8 against the Guardians. Chicago dropped four games behind the victorious American League Central-leading Twins, but avoided a dip to five.

“That was huge. When you're up the whole game and then give it up right there, it's easy to roll over and give up,” said White Sox starter Lance Lynn, who threw six scoreless innings in Game 2, but finished with a no-decision when the Guardians erased a 3-0 deficit with four in the seventh. “That's something that we're not going to do.

“Obviously, it hasn't been our year so far, but there's still some games left, there's still some things we're capable of doing. So come back, win that game, and then hopefully tomorrow we'll split the series and go from there. That's all we can do is control one day at a time. Today we lost the first game, but we were able to come back and win the second one. So it was good."

General manager Rick Hahn was questioned in his pregame media session Friday concerning moves the team might make as the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline approaches, and the team almost certainly will be buyers at some level. They also will benefit from the return of a healthy and productive Grandal, not to mention Yoán Moncada, who drove in two in the victory, and Eloy Jiménez, who homered in Saturday night’s contest.

Let’s not forget Lynn, who struggled with an uncharacteristic 7.50 ERA over seven starts in the first half after his return from right knee surgery, but held the Guardians (48-45) to three hits over 87 pitches with six strikeouts. Grandal proved last year in his return from right knee surgery how he can carry a team offensively, posting a .369 average and a 1.250 OPS from Aug. 27 to Sept. 27, with nine home runs and 24 RBIs in 25 games.

“He was really productive, professional hitter from both sides,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said of Grandal’s effort Saturday. “Club’s got great guts. We’ve still got a great shot from here to the end.”