HOUSTON – On the heels of an eight-walk performance that White Sox starter Sean Burke called the “worst athletic performance I’ve ever had,” his 5 2/3 scoreless innings to lead a 5-1 victory over the Astros on Tuesday represent “one of the better starts I’ve had this year.”
That assessment comes despite walking the first two batters of the game, or maybe because of it.
“A night like tonight when I didn’t have my best stuff, I can still go out there and almost throw six innings,” Burke said. “That to me, means more for my growth and development of the past couple of years than the games where you’re feeling great and you just go out there and mow the lineup down.”
Those walks led to an early mound visit, and some tough love from pitching coach Zach Bove.
“‘Look, let’s not go down this road again,’” Burke recalled being told. “I’m someone that you can kinda get at me a little bit when I’m on the mound. I’ll take kindly to that and he knows.”
Between innings, Burke reviewed video and noticed his arm slot drifting upward, one of the items on a “checklist” of frequent potential issues he’s collected in his second full major league season. Knowing is only half the battle, and installing a mid-game correction to enable a six-strikeout performance with one hit allowed is an accomplishment that the 26-year-old Burke regards as a sign of growth.
‘Stache September
At the suggestion of famously hirsute catcher Jake Rogers, Sox players are showing unity through a shared celebration of facial hair. Colson Montgomery and Davis Martin are sporting paper-thin mustaches. Tristan Peters has rendered himself near-unrecognizable with a Paul Konerko-esque goatee.
“It’s stache or goatee,” said Randal Grichuk, who rocked a two-run double on Tuesday. “Peters [is] rocking one of the best ones. I’m going to clean [my goatee] up tonight and be ready to rock it with them.”
For much of the young White Sox roster, growing facial hair is still a tall order.
“[Luisangel] Acuna said he would draw it on,” Grichuk said.
Montgomery ready for home stretch
He finished it by launching his 50th career home run on Monday, but Montgomery had an August to forget, batting .200/.277/.360 and striking out in a whopping 42% of his plate appearances.
But after back-to-back multi-hit nights, highlighted by a two-run double in Tuesday’s victory, Montgomery is confident about where his approach is at.
“I’m going to take my walks, and then if you throw a ball over the plate, I’m probably going to do some damage on it,” Montgomery said. “You want to do it consistently and it’s really hard to, but I feel good.”
McDougal’s mechanics
After a walk-filled major-league debut on Aug. 13, hard-throwing 23-year-old right-hander Tanner McDougal is back as part of rosters expanding to 28 players on Sept. 1. He worked on mechanical fixes during a two-week stint in Triple-A.
“Over the past few weeks I’ve gotten back to what is normal,” McDougal said. “Just try to stay through the ball as long as possible. I think I’ve been a little peel-y this year, peeling off pitches late, which is causing stuff to run back over the middle.”
Martin set to return
The corresponding move has yet to be announced, but Martin will be activated from the injured list to start Wednesday’s game.