Game 1 of the AL Divisional Series, which just so happens to be an in-division showdown between the AL Central champion Cleveland Guardians and the 2nd place finishing Chicago White Sox, was headlined by the battle of the rookie starting pitchers: Parker Messick for Cleveland and Hagen Smith for Chicago. This, while it may be surprising to some, was a highly anticipated duel, in my estimation, due to the phenomenal performance of both. Messick, who made his debut late last season and retained his rookie eligibility for this year, was an All Star who put up a 2.56 ERA in 32 games started and a eye-popping 6.3 WAR (wins above replacement). Smith, on the other hand, made his debut in August of this year, pitching in 18 games, mostly operating out of the pen, with only one started, to the tune of a 1.29 ERA and a sub-1 WHIP (baserunners allowed per inning), a stellar number and marked decrease from his AAA numbers before the call-up. To have two rookies on the mound in G1 of a divisional series, including one who was called up less than two months ago and only started a single game in the regular season is, well, headline worthy.

Let me preface the rest of this piece with this: they lived up to the hype. Both rookies were solid, and it was a slow offensive start to the game, with Smith going 6 up, 6 down and Messick only allowing 2 baserunners through the first two. Sox had a two-out rally going in the first, but Tommy Pham got the backwards K (struck out looking) to stomp on that slightly alight cigarette butt. In the third, the game began to heat up a bit, with Hagen Smith seeming to get tired after a great start, losing his command of the strike zone and walking three straight to load the bases. This included 8 straight balls, but thankfully, Guardians Right Fielder Chase DeLauter lined out to end the inning and keep the score 0-0 through 3. Hagen, after walking those three batters, was pulled after only 2.2 innings of work. I say only, but he’s not used to starter innings in the Show, so it’s understandable.

In the 4th, the offense started to show for the Sox. The boys led off the inning with a Miguel Vargas single which was immediately followed up by a Munetaka Murakami NO DOUBT two-run shot to right, with Messick being pulled after 4.1IP, 2 runs allowed, and a solid showing. The Guardians came knocking at the door in back-to-back innings, providing me with yet another heart attack courtesy of Anthony Kay (yes, I know Hicks walked the first batter), who, yet again, thank God, got out of the jam with an inning ending Bryan Rocchio lineout to right field. This is where both Sox and Guardians fans insert the Jessie Pinkman “HE CAN’T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS” GIF. On one hand, he’s giving Sox fans heart attacks and coming out of innings clean by the skin of his teeth, and on the other, he’s giving opposing fans sunshine and rainbows and hope, just to rug pull them and turn it into a dark, twisted sadness. Truly evil work by Mr. Kay.

Let’s fast forward to the 6th inning, because there was really nothing of note, besides effective pitching and a single by Colson Montgomery. Things get hot again, with the Sox getting men on 1st and 2nd with nobody out, but then Mune strikes out and Tommy Pham, thinking he’s gotten all of one, watches the ball get caught off the very top of the left field wall, and sees his teammate and man on first (WHO’S ON FIRST?) Miguel Vargas, who was also thinking that ball was a goner, get doubled off, thus ending a promising start to the inning with no fruit in hand. I have to credit Nathaniel Lowe for doubling off of star Sox reliever Grant Taylor, because Taylor was mowing down Guardian hitters, and it’s not like they were putting bat to ball in the first place today. They only had 3 total hits, all from the bottom half of the order. Man do I love G.T., more on my man crush soon.

In the top of the 7th, for those who enjoy seeing the bat contact the baseball and lead to a positive offensive outcome, both teams got hits! Unfortunately for the Guardians and their fans, they did not score and the Sox did. On our end, Kyle Teel drew a walk with one out, and, with two, Colson Montgomery, who’s usually rounding the bases or has a K next to his name on the stat-sheet, hits a cue shot down the left field line for a double, bringing Teel home! Insurance run! Here’s where the game is essentially put away by the Sox, and more specifically Grant Taylor, who’s really showing off his stuff. Of the last 9 Guardian batters, he struck out 5, 4 of which came in a nice Christmas coal lump for Cleveland, from the 3rd out of the 8th until the end of the game. In the 7th, there was a pitch, if I’m not mistaken the first pitch to Rocchio, where he threw a 12-6 curve so filthy it made Rocchio swing out of his shoes, not at the ball, but at air. He was insanely efficient as well, throwing only 42 pitches through 4IP, which also broke his prior personal record of 2.2 innings in one appearance.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Cleveland’s pitching, which was, by and large, great today, allowing only 9 total baserunners (6 hits and 3 walks). This included 2.1 innings of perfect work at the end of the game as well, split between Gaddis, Herrin and Smith. I give a round of applause to those three and their pitching staff as a whole. They were good defensively too. Unfortunately for them, I can’t even come close to saying the same thing about their approach at the plate today, which was, by and large, putrid. The top 5 guys in their order went a combined 0-18 with 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. You’re not winning many games with the top half of the order producing, well, NOTHING. Now, a lot of that is due to the Sox pitching being stellar overall, with Taylor being the star of the show. 4IP, 42 pitches, 8K’s, and only 2 baserunners allowed. I cannot overstate this enough, FANTASTIC work by him and both staffs. Jo Adell, enjoy the Golden Sombrero (4 strikeout night), and Mune, sorry for not harping on your 1HR, 2 hit, 2rbi night more, but you are a madman and the city loves you.