New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler posted a 1.48 ERA in May, but it swelled to 3.38 for games pitched in June.
He is back to his usual stinginess in Juiy, with a 2.05 ERA in four starts. The White Sox will try to send that number skyrocketing as they host the Yankees for the third game in their four-game series on Wednesday night.
Schlittler (10-6, 2.07 ERA) is coming off a gem on Philadelphia on Friday, when he delivered 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball with three hits, one hit batter and 12 strikeouts in a 1-0 win. Schlittler, the American League ERA leader, fell one strikeout shy of his career best.
“If he continues this, he might win the Cy Young, and that’s great,” veteran Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said of the 25-year-old. “But I’m really excited to see how he progresses, because when you’re at the highest level, you’re thinking about guys who are doing it for 10-plus years. I think Cam definitely has the mindset and physical tools to do it.”
New York edged Chicago 3-2 on Tuesday, winning for the fifth time in six games to stand 1 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays and in second place in AL East.
Chase Meidroth reached Yankees closer David Bednar for a two-run home run with two outs in the ninth — the first long ball Bednar has surrendered since May 17 — before the Yankees held on.
Jasson Dominguez had two hits for the Yankees, and Max Schuemann’s two-run double in the second inning was the difference one night after New York won 9-5.
“I feel like it’s been like that since the All-Star break, everybody [in] different games, doing their thing,” New York catcher Austin Wells said. “Extending the lineup and driving in guys when we need them.”
The White Sox have lost four of their last five games but hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Guardiams atop the AL Central.
“Sometimes, it’s just execution [that] isn’t what we know it can be with this group,” White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery said. “Yeah, we’re upset about losing, the results, but it’s also, ‘All right, how are you going to learn from that?’ You’ve got to remove the emotion from it, look at the result, look at how it came about, and learn about how you’re going to use that going forward.
“Because these aren’t the most important games that we’ll play. While every game is important, there’s more important stuff down the road.”
Montgomery singled twice as Chicago out-hit New York 7-6.
Right-hander Davis Martin will start for the White Sox as he seeks his first victory since June 10. Martin (9-5, 3.49 ERA) has struggled over his past seven starts, going 0-3 with a 6.06 ERA in 32 2/3 innings.
Chicago has won only one of those games.
Martin began Friday’s start against Houston with five scoreless innings but allowed four runs in an eight-run sixth. Chicago lost 9-5.
“Everyone understands stuff happens, and we just have to move on and continue to do what we do,” Martin said. “Don’t reinvent the wheel.”
Martin allowed nine runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings in a June 16 road loss to the Yankees. Spencer Jones, Ben Rice and Goldschmidt each hit home runs against him.
Martin is 0-1 with an 8.47 ERA in four career starts against New York.
The Yankees are 4-1 against the White Sox this season.
–Field Level Media
