The intimate gathering of 10,750 on Tuesday afternoon at Rate Field was roughly the size of an expanded knitting circle and required the patience typical of the yarn-and-needle crowd.
Before the White Sox succumbed to the Orioles 4-2, the outcome remaining in doubt until Munetaka Murakami struck out as a pinch hitter with the tying run on base in the ninth, six Sox pitchers had combined to throw 197 pitches.
That number falls well short of record territory — just last March, the Athletics threw 246 pitches in an 18-3 loss to the Cubs. But when you throw that number of pitches and hold the winning team to just four runs, now that doesn’t happen every day.
In the last 31 seasons, it has happened to the Sox just four times. Who’s counting? Well, Shane Smith for one. The 2025 All-Star, still looking to find his way this season, alternated between punchouts and free passes before his afternoon screeched to a halt with two outs in the fourth, having expended 99 pitches to that point.
The right-hander struck out eight, including Gunnar Henderson after a 12-pitch, bases-loaded battle to end the second. But he also walked five and conked Blaze Alexander on the top of his helmet, though he managed to avoid yielding a run.
That in itself was progress for a guy carrying a 19.29 ERA and two losses after his first two starts (10 earned runs, 4‰ innings). He acknowledged as much. But he also expressed distress at the burden he was putting on the bullpen.
“Just killing our bullpen,’’ Smith said. “As we get into the season and the games start stacking up, we need these guys to be as fresh as possible. Not being able to get past 3⅔ in your first [three] starts just puts you in a tough spot.’’
There were definite signs of progress. While he still struggled with his fastball command, Smith induced 17 swings and misses.
“Changeup and curveball were amazing, especially in that long at-bat with Henderson when he struck him out with a 3-and-2 changeup,’’ said lockermate Mike Vasil, the tea
