ARLINGTON, Tex. — Zack Collins knows how to make a good first impression.
The White Sox’ top catching prospect, getting his first major league start as the designated hitter Friday against the Rangers and right-hander Ariel Jurado, wasted no time getting his first big-league hit, a 447-foot homer to center field in the second inning at Globe Life Park.
The three-run blast, coming in his second career plate appearance and first at-bat after he got called up from Class AAA Charlotte Tuesday, erased an early 2-0 deficit and the Sox went on to win 5-4 in 10 innings.
The winning run came on Yolmer Sanchez’ safety squeeze bunt scoring Eloy Jimenez. Alex Colome pitched a scoreless 10th for his 16th save in as many opportunities.
The left-handed hitting Collins showed a little of what he’s all about when he made his first plate appearance as a pinch hitter against the Cubs Wednesday at Wrigley Field, drawing a walk. He was fifth in the International League in walks before his call-up to the majors.
Collins is also about having some pop in his bat, and that was evident, too, when the Sox opened a three-game series in 93-degree Texas heat. He was the fourth Sox to go deep in his first major league at-bat, joining Carlos Lee in 1999 (A’s) Miguel Olivo in 2002 (Yankees) and Josh Fields in 2006 (Tigers).
In the early innings, the ball was flying out of Globe Life. Nomar Mazara hit a 505-foot homer to right field, the longest home run in the majors this season, against Sox righty-hander Reynaldo Lopez in the first. Rougned Odor homered to the upper deck in right in the second inning to tie the score at 3.
Lopez settled down after the first two and finished with 5 1/3 innings of work, keeping the damage at three runs. He allowed six hits, one walk, and struck out four.
Collins’ homer set the tone for another nice night for the Sox young core. Yoan Moncada doubled twice and scored on Jimenez’ single in the third, giving the Sox a 4-3 lead. Moncada’s second double – batting right-handed, the lesser of his two sides – would have scored Charlie Tilson from first in the seventh inning, but it hopped over the left-center field wall for a ground-rule double.
Jimenez singled and advanced to third on Tim Anderson’s single, setting up Sanchez’ bunt in the 10th.
Aaron Bummer, meanwhile, struck out Asdrubal Cabrera and Odor in relief of Lopez in the sixth, but a leadoff walk in the sixth led to the tying run.
Collins, who will likely catch one of the games in the Rangers series, is not locked into the young core group yet but he’s getting his first opportunity to show what he’s got.
Meanwhile, another future piece, right-hander Dylan Cease, wasn’t faring as well, with another rocky outing at Class AAA Charlotte. While some have called for Cease’s promotion with the Sox starting rotation in need of help, the 23-year-old right-hander does not look ready just yet.
Cease allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings, his ERA climbing to 4.69. In his last four starts, he has allowed 16 earned runs on 24 hits and 11 walks over 16 1/3 innings.
Cease’s stuff was good – his fastball sat at 95-99 mph and his curveball was crisp, according to a scout.
“Good stuff again [but he] has to learn how to pitch,” the scout said. “His line score is not as bad as it looks probably. Zero reason to rush this guy.”
Which the Sox weren’t about to do, even if he was pitching well.
Collins’ callup was “expedited,” though, by catcher Welington Castillo’s oblique strain, manager Rick Renteria said before the game. He couldn’t duplicate the magic of his first at-bat his next three times up, grounding out to second and striking out twice after that.
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