OAKLAND – It’s been an unusual season for White Sox hitters, who are leading Major League Baseball in batting average (.261) but at times have had issues driving in runs (16th in RBI).
Their home run totals are down, too, with the club’s 125 ranking 22nd in the league.
But as the team’s fortunes have turned over the last week, so has their offense, which has become more complete as they’ve made up ground in the American League Central division. All of that culminated with a memorable night in Oakland on Thursday.
In their biggest output of 2022, the White Sox put up a season-high 14 runs in a 14-2 victory over the Athletics. They pounded out 21 hits over nine innings while smashing five homers in the impressive display of offense that puts them two games over .500.
More importantly, they are now just 1 1/2 games behind the Guardians for first place in the AL Central and tied with the Twins for second with 24 games to go.
Yoan Moncada was the star of the night for the White Sox as he had five hits, two home runs, and five RBI in his best game of what’s been a difficult 2022 season for the infielder. Both of his homers came in the first two innings, when the visitors scored six runs to put the game away.
Elvis Andrus, Eloy Jimenez, and Romy Gonzalez also hit home runs, and all that offense was plenty for one of the best starters in baseball.
After coming one out from a no-hitter in his last outing on Saturday, Dylan Cease was excellent again over six shutout innings as he allowed just three hits and two walks with nine strikeouts.
That was easily enough on a night where the White Sox offense was at their absolute best.