ANAHEIM – Luis center midfielder Luis Robert made an amusing, yet painful and ultimately expensive costume in the third innings of Saturday’s game against the Angels as he tried to catch a shallow volley from Anthony Rendon’s bat, only to doing so bounces off his head for a running point error.
Luckily Robert was physically good and he even rode in a run the next innings with an RBI single to level the game. But the game ultimately cost the White Sox two runs in the frame and ultimately a 5-3 loss, which the English scored three times in the eighth point. It was an unforgettable deception for all the wrong reasons, as the ball bounced dramatically off his head and there were also two out in the third, so a catch shot would have ended the threat.
Shortstop Tim Anderson originally played back in an attempt to make the catch, but Robert ran 134 feet from his spot in the outfield and apparently called Anderson down and got in position to play the routine. The game had a 95 percent catch, according to Statcast. However, White Lax manager Tony La Russa thought Robert might have had trouble with the twilight in Angel Stadium.
“I think it happens before it gets really dark, it happens everywhere in the league,” La Russa said. ‘I think the one between Tim and Luis, [Luis] play deep, have a long way to go. He’s a golden glove, he had to run 200 meters to get there, I exaggerate, but it was a long road. During twilight it is difficult everywhere. ‘
Robert’s deception, however, was not the end of the madness. Referee Adam Eaton snatched the ball away and tried to approach David Fletcher as he sprinted home from the first side, but the throw was off target and was off the hill, ricocheting to the backstop. Rendon advanced to second base with the error and Jared Walsh followed with an RBI single to score Rendon, giving right-hander Lance Lynn two undeserved runs in the innings.
However, Lynn said it was just part of the game and he was not frustrated with Robert.
“Your job is to pick up the guys,” Lynn said. ‘They pick you up when you have bad games, record runs for you and play good plays for you. This game is nasty. So there is no guilt, nothing, you are all going to the next pitch, and that is the truth. You can not worry about what has happened before, because it does not matter and you have to make the following pitch. Unfortunately I made a mistake with the next hit, and he was able to shoot one through the six holes there. But I have to make my pitch, and I have to get us out of it. This is my job. ‘
English manager Joe Maddon was impressed with Fletcher’s instincts to score from the first point, noting that the game is another reason why the ball plays better than passing.
“How about the forerunner who succeeded?” Maddon said. “When David came in, I told him that not everyone scores on it. I wanted him to know that. So, I want to give him credit too. And yes, move the ball, move the ball.” Let the defense “so they can execute themselves.” – Coach Ed Morgan. Hazleton High School, 1972. “