|
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL — CHICAGO WHITE SOX AT SEATTLE MARINERS, OCTOBER 4, 1922
“In Seattle, the postseason opened with a game that carried all the hallmarks of October baseball — drama, tension, and the sense that every pitch could tilt the balance of the series.
On this night, it was the Mariners who prevailed, edging the White Sox 6–5 at T-Mobile Park. But if this was merely Game 1 of the Wild Card, it felt more like a game that could have been played in the middle of a League Championship Series.
For Chicago, right fielder Christian Villa was nothing short of spectacular. Twice he homered, once in the fifth, once again in the seventh, driving in three runs, scoring two more, and almost single-handedly willing his team back from an early deficit. His was the kind of performance that, even in defeat, lingers in the memory.
Yet, in the end, the Mariners found just enough answers. They struck quickly — two runs in the first, two more in the second — and held off Chicago’s charge until the eighth inning, when shortstop Ben Bol stepped into the spotlight. His solo home run, slicing through the cool Seattle night, provided the margin that would stand up until the final out.
Pitching, too, told its tale. Xavier Carter bent but did not break, striking out six in his five-plus innings. And after the bullpen wavered, it was Benito Aguilera who delivered calm when it was most needed, retiring all six men he faced to lock down the victory.
The Mariners, then, walk off with a 1–0 series lead. For the White Sox, the sting of a missed opportunity is real, but so too is the knowledge that Villa’s bat may yet carry them forward. For Seattle, it is one more night in October where the faithful, gathered in 38,000 strong, went home believing this might finally be their year.”
|