CHICAGO — Rookie Drew Thorpe pitched two-hit ball over six innings in winning his second straight start, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 Friday night to start a weekend series between teams with the majors’ worst records.
Thorpe (2-1) retired 16 in a row after Brenton Doyle led off the game with a single. He walked Sam Hilliard with one out in the sixth before Doyle put Colorado on top 2-1 with a 426-foot drive to left.
Those were the only baserunners Thorpe allowed in his fourth career start. The 23-year-old right-hander tossed six scoreless innings at Detroit last week on the way to his first major league victory.
“I had a good game plan going in,” Thorpe said. “Me and (catcher) Korey (Lee) worked really well together, mixing speeds, getting in on guys. Command was good overall, I was just kind of able to move the ball around.”
Manager Pedro Grifol considered letting Thorpe take the mound for the seventh. He opted instead to go with Tanner Banks to start the inning rather than have him relieve, potentially, with runners on base.
“He’s got the package to be a legitimate starter in this league," Grifol said of Thorpe. "He’s strong, he’s physical, he’s got the makings of a guy that can give you a lot of innings.”
The White Sox scored four in the sixth and chased Rockies starter Dakota Hudson. Tommy Pham capped it with a two-run single against Justin Lawrence to bump the lead to 5-2.
Banks gave up a solo homer to Colorado’s Michael Toglia in the seventh, and John Brebbia pitched around a walk in the eighth. Michael Kopech worked the ninth for his seventh save in 11 chances, and the White Sox came away with their second straight win in a game delayed more than two hours at the start because of rain.
Chicago improved baseball’s worst record to 23-61, while Colorado fell to 27-54.
Hudson (2-11), the major league leader in losses, gave up five runs and six hits. The right-hander exited with none out in the sixth after Paul DeJong lined an RBI single with the bases loaded to tie it at 2-all.
Lawrence got Nicky Lopez to fly out before Korey Lee put Chicago on top 3-2 with a chopper toward first. Toglia opted to step on the bag rather than throw home for the force.
The Rockies intentionally walked pinch hitter Gavin Sheets to load the bases before Pham singled in two more runs.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: The Rockies plan to activate OF-DH Charlie Blackmon (strained right hamstring) on Saturday, manager Bud Black said. The four-time All-Star was hurt running the bases against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 18. ... RHP Germán Márquez (Tommy John surgery) was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday and will likely make at least one more rehab start, Black said. He has been sidelined since April 26, 2023.
White Sox: RHP Mike Clevinger, who returned from his minor league rehab assignment because of neck stiffness, will likely throw a bullpen session on Sunday and could pitch Tuesday or Wednesday for Triple-A Charlotte, Grifol said.
UP NEXT
White Sox RHP Jonathan Cannon (1-2, 4.59 ERA) looks to shake off a rough outing, while the Rockies go with RHP Cal Quantrill (6-5, 3.50 ERA). Cannon got tagged for eight runs and was knocked out in the second inning in a loss at Detroit on Sunday, after tossing 8 2/3 scoreless innings against Houston in his first career win.
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