Right-hander Davis Martin will look to better disguise his pitches when the Chicago White Sox go for a series victory against the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday afternoon.
Martin (9-6, 4.13 ERA) is looking to rebound from a rough outing and potentially correct a pitch-tipping issue.
In a 14-2 loss at Boston on Tuesday, Martin allowed nine runs on 10 hits with two walks and one strikeout over five innings. He surrendered three home runs.
White Sox manager Will Venable said catcher Kyle Teel, who currently is sidelined with an ankle injury, noticed from the dugout that Martin might have been tipping his pitches. Martin said adjustments made during the game appeared to make a difference.
“Some of the adjustments we made thereafter, we started getting a lot more weak contact, a lot more swing and miss,” Martin said. “I definitely think there’s something to it.”
Martin has struggled against Cleveland, going 1-3 with a 6.45 ERA in five career starts. He received a no-decision against the Guardians on July 2 after allowing two runs on six hits with five walks and no strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.
The White Sox snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 comeback win on Saturday.
Chicago matched its win total from last season (60) in its 116th game and extended its lead in the American League Central to three games over the Guardians and Minnesota Twins.
Tristan Peters played a key role in the victory with a two-run double in Chicago’s decisive five-run sixth inning despite batting just .115 (7-for-61) with two doubles and four RBIs since his first All-Star Game.
“We are just having fun playing this game,” Peters said. “We always take it day by day, and the most important game is today’s.”
The Guardians will counter with left-hander Joey Cantillo (8-7, 3.87).
In his last outing, a 6-2 home loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday, Cantillo allowed five runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts over five innings.
Cantillo has made four career appearances, including three starts, against Chicago, going 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA. He has struck out 23 and walked just three over 20 innings.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Cantillo is close to being dialed in despite going winless (0-3) in his last four starts.
“For Joey, the curveball and changeup are still really good,” Vogt said. “There’s just a little bit of inconsistency.”
While Cantillo searches for consistency, Angel Martinez has found it during a six-game hitting streak. The outfielder is hitting .375 over that span with three doubles, a home run and nine RBIs.
“Angel has been great since he has been here,” Vogt said. “It’s really exciting he’s playing well, he’s doing a great job on defense and he’s had big-boy at-bats.”
Cleveland entered the series in Chicago having lost 11 of its previous 14 games, but a decisive 8-2 win in the opener provided some hope the skid was over. Vogt said Saturday’s setback will not deter his club.
“This team is competing and fighting,” Vogt said. “I love the way the offense is clicking. The starting pitching has been phenomenal and our bullpen has been solid all year. We just have to keep it going.”
–Field Level Media
