A pair of struggling right-handers will try to end their seasons on a high note when the Chicago White Sox visit the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Hitters dominated the series opener Friday night as the Nationals (65-95) hit six home runs and rallied from an 8-1 deficit for a 9-8 lead, only to see the White Sox (59-101) win it 10-9 with a two-run ninth.
Chicago’s Sean Burke (4-11, 4.29 ERA) opposes Jake Irvin (9-13, 5.69 ERA) in the penultimate game of the season.
Burke, Chicago’s Opening Day starter, is 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in three starts since being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. Last time out he gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits, including a home run by Fernando Tatis, Jr., in four innings of a 3-2 loss to the San Diego Padres.
The 25-year-old has not earned a win since June 25.
“I felt good with my stuff. I mean, I was in the zone early and all the stuff felt sharp,” Burke said after his outing against the Padres. “I think really just made one bad pitch to Tatis, and it was kind of a middle, middle fastball that he put a pretty good swing on.”
He has never faced the Nationals.
Irvin meanwhile is 1-8 with an 8.37 ERA over his past 10 starts. He broke a long winless streak in his most recent outing on Sunday when he held the New York Mets to two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings to earn his first win since July 27 in the 3-2 game.
“I think at the end of the day, at points, I’ve lost sight of rule number one, and that’s to have fun,” Irvin said. “Go out there, have fun and try and ruin a team’s chances to make it into the playoffs.”
Irvin has never faced the White Sox.
Chicago won a wild one Friday night. Luis Garcia Jr. hit his third home run of the game to cap a four-run eighth inning and give Washington a 9-8 lead, but an error by pitcher Jose A. Ferrer preceded a two-run homer by Colson Montgomery in the ninth and a 10-9 White Sox win.
It was Montgomery’s 20th home run of the season, and he has hit safely in a career-high eight straight games, going 10-for-31 (.323).
Lenyn Sosa had a homer, double and single and drove in three runs for the White Sox, who had lost five straight. Sosa leads the team with 22 home runs and 75 RBIs.
Garcia became the first Nationals player to homer three times since Lane Thomas in 2022.
“When I hit the two home runs, my next at-bat I had a confidence that I haven’t felt in my career,” García said. “I can’t describe it right now. I don’t have any words. That’s the first time that happened to me in my career. But I’m really happy for that.”
Washington’s Daylen Lile hit a game-tying, three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, home run, three RBIs and two runs. Since July 21, he is hitting .345 (67-for-194) with nine doubles, 10 triples, six homers, 31 RBIs, five stolen bases and 34 runs.
–Field Level Media
