In baseball, the analytical crowd talks about “three true outcomes” — plate appearances that end in a home run, walk or strikeout.
They’re called “true” because they involve only the batter and pitcher, removing defense from the equation.
Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox is a prime example of the description.
Signed in the offseason from Japan, Murakami leads the American League with 17 home runs, is fourth with 39 walks, and is second with 68 strikeouts. He went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts and two walks Tuesday night in Seattle, and it was his walk leading off the ninth inning off Luis Castillo that sparked Chicago’s rally for a 2-1 victory.
The teams will close their three-game series Wednesday afternoon in Seattle.
“He’s a dangerous hitter and a guy you definitely have to be careful with,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
The victory was the eighth in the past 10 games for the White Sox, one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season thanks in part to Murakami.
“It’s the full lineup, one through nine. Feeding off each other,” Murakami said through an interpreter. “It’s a great confidence builder, seeing other players get good results. I just want to be that contributor and contribute to the lineup and contribute to the team’s wins.”
Murakami got a chance to meet Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, who often works out with the Mariners, while shagging balls in the outfield during batting practice Tuesday.
The White Sox were no-hit for five innings Tuesday by Bryce Miller and trailed 1-0 entering the ninth.
Instead of turning to closer Andres Munoz, Wilson opted to leave in Castillo, who was entering the third inning of the first regular-season relief appearance of his 10-year career.
That backfired as Castillo walked Murakami and hit Miguel Vargas with a pitch. Castillo struck out Colson Montgomery before Munoz entered. A double steal put runners at second and third and Chase Meidroth hit a chopper past drawn-in first baseman Josh Naylor to tie the score. Andrew Benintendi followed with an infield single off Naylor’s glove, scoring the go-ahead run.
“We’re just never out of it,” Benintendi said. “I mean, we kind of got dominated all night, it felt like. We had one hit but were never really barreling anything up, so to come out with a win, it kind of feels like we stole one.”
Wednesday’s series finale will feature a pair of right-handers in Chicago’s Sean Burke (2-3, 4.10 ERA) against Seattle’s Emerson Hancock (3-2, 3.02).
Burke lost to the Mariners 12-8 in his only previous appearance against them May 8 in Chicago, when he allowed six runs over 4 1/3 innings. He didn’t get a decision Friday in a 10-5 loss to the visiting Cubs despite giving up four runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Hancock won that May 8 game in Chicago despite giving up a season-high five runs in six innings. He lost 2-0 to visiting San Diego on Friday despite giving up just one run in six innings.
Hancock is 1-0 with a 4.85 ERA in two career starts vs. Chicago.
–Field Level Media
