CLEVELAND — Reynaldo Lopez has been so up and down this season, you never know what you’ll get when the 25-year-old right-hander starts.
In the White Sox’ 7-1 victory over the Indians Thursday, they got the first complete game of Lopez’ career, and it was dominant.
When Lopez fails to finish the first inning as he did in his last start against the Braves Saturday, that’s a different story. In the start before that, he pitched five innings of no-hit ball.
Go figure.
Against the Indians, Lopez (9-12, 5.17 ERA) hurled a one-hit complete game, retiring the last 16 batters he faced and striking out 11 against a team fighting for a playoff berth, the kind of start that seems to bode well for the 2020 rotation.
It was the first Sox’ first complete game one-hitter since Jeff Samardzjia threw one on Sept. 21, 2015 at Detroit and the major league best sixth complete game by one team.
“I was very excited when Ricky [manager Renteria] let me go out for the ninth,” said Lopez, who threw 109 pitches, 70 for strikes. He has 20 swings and misses, the third most of his career. “I wanted to finish and I was able to do it. It was a good one.”
Finish indeed. Lopez retired 22 of 23 after Kevin Plaweck’s RBI double sailed over right fielder Ryan Goins’ head in the second inning. Goins — an infielder by trade — broke in on it initially before breaking back and might have had a play on the hard-hit drive even with a good jump.
“Playing kind of shallow, I didn’t get the best jump,” Goins said. “It kind of sucks when he only gives up one hit and that was the one, so I’ve got to give him a little something.’’
Lopez said Goins owes him nothing.
“I don’t blame him,” Lopez said. “The guy hit the ball very well and it was a clean hit.”
Lopez struck out Franmil Reyes to end the game and pounded his red glove before being congratulated by teammates.
Lopez has encountered moments of focus issues but of late, his focus has been on mechanical and technical things, especially staying behind the ball.
“I’ve been working with the pitching coach in different aspects but mostly just working to stay behind on the ball and try to generate more spin rate,” Lopez said. “I was able to do that today with all my pitches and that was the key. I’m always looking for ways to improve outing by outing and today I was able to execute all the things that we did in between outings.”
Matching their win total from a 100-loss season in 2018, the Sox (62-78) went home with a 2-2 split of their series with the contending Indians and 2-5 record on a trip that began with an interleague series sweep by the Braves.
Lopez’ catcher, Welington Castillo, slugged a two-run homer in the second against righty Zach Plesac to give Lopez a 2-0 lead and added two doubles. Tim Anderson singled and doubled in five-at bats, raising his average to an AL-best .332.
Center fielder Adam Engel drove in two runs with a single and Yolmer Sanchez drove in a run with a single and walk.
September call-ups Danny Mendick and Zack Collins played third base and first base, respectively, and each reached base twice, Mendick with the first two hits, both singles, of his career and Collins with his third and fourth walks of the series. Collins also struck out three times.
Eight different Indians were strikeout victims of Lopez, including Reyes three times. It was the sixth career double-digit performance by Lopez.
“He is our future — he’s a part with Dylan [Cease] and Lucas [Giolito] and guys overcoming injuries [Michael Kopech and Carlos Rodon,” Renteria said. “There is no doubt in my mind of the quality of pitchers they’re going to be.”
