Up came Arraez, the AL leader in batting average at that point (.318). Despite the delay, Cease made quick work of the first two Twins, striking out Caleb Hamilton on four pitches and getting Celestino to hit a first-pitch fly out. Fortunately, all of that took only about 15 minutes due to Gordon’s limited repertoire (Statcast credits him with throwing 30 fastballs varying in speed from 49.2 mph to 86 mph). The White Sox, already leading 7–0, pounced on position player Nick Gordon via a pair of walks, three singles, and a grand slam by Elvis Andrus to run the score to 13–0.
At the same time, he didn’t record his first strikeout until Gio Urshela fanned on a slider to end the fifth.īefore he could take the mound in the ninth, however, Cease had to wait out a six-run rally. He breezed through the first five frames in just 50 pitches, with a leadoff walk to Jake Cave in the third inning not just the only blemish, but also the only time to that point that he even went to a three-ball count.
He was even better than all of those on Saturday, and particularly efficient. Facing the Twins in Chicago, the 26-year-old White Sox righty came within one out of throwing the season’s fourth no-hitter, losing it only when Luis Arraez singled with two outs in the ninth.Ĭease had twice taken no-hit bids into the sixth inning this year, on April 27 against the Royals and June 21 against the Blue Jays, and had made a total of three appearances in which he allowed just one hit and no runs (May 2 against the Angels, the aforementioned June 21 start, and July 17 against the Twins).
On Saturday, Dylan Cease did his best to capitalize on the opportunity. With Justin Verlander landing on the injured list due to a mild right calf injury, the AL Cy Young race has taken a turn.
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