Moncada's first ever walk-off hit lifts Sox to sweep
In his first 18 games with the White Sox, touted rookie Yoan Moncada was an offensive threat with his eyes.
The switch-hitter didn't put many balls in play and was batting just .196, but he drew 13 walks in 71 plate appearances.
On Thursday night, Moncada showed what kind of damage he can do when he swings the bat.
With the Sox trailing the Houston Astros 2-1 in the ninth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field, Moncada tied the game with a one out, opposite-field home run off closer Ken Giles.
In the 11th, the 22-year-old second baseman lifted the White Sox to a 3-2 win - and three-game sweep over the American League's best team - with an RBI single.
Amazingly, it was Moncada's first walk-off hit, ever.
"It was something indescribable," Moncada said through a translator. "My feelings, all my emotions, were through the roof when I hit that ball and then when I was running the bases. It was something unique."
Sox starter Carlos Rodon, who was Moncada's teammate at Class AAA Charlotte when he was on a rehab assignment earlier in the season, was not surprised by the clutch performance.
"It was something special," Rodon said. "That patience up there, you see it, lot of 0-2 to 3-2 (counts) to walks there. He battles up there and it's about time. He's got a good bat. Just a special player, man."
Rodon has been a special pitcher lately, and the trend continued against the Astros. The 24-year-old lefty matched his career high with 8 innings (third time) and allowed 2 runs on 9 hits.
In his last three starts, Rodon has allowed 5 earned runs in 22.1 innings. Equally impressive, he has 24 strikeouts and just 2 walks over the stretch, against likely playoff teams Houston, Boston and Cleveland.
"That's the goal, go and attack," Rodon said. "Let them swing it and let the defense do the work."
The Sox posted their first three-game sweep since late April, against the Royals.
"For us to sweep a team like the Astros, one of the best teams in the league, is something that enhances our confidence," Moncada said. "It's something that makes us feel more comfortable about ourselves our talent."
New guy:
Reynaldo Lopez joined the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field Thursday, the day before his scheduled start against the Royals.
"I've been watching his video and saw him in the spring and I'm looking forward to seeing him here now on the stage with us," manager Rick Renteria said. "I'm hoping he can come out here and give us a good outing. I'm sure, like anybody who has been in the minor leagues practically the whole season, he'll be excited. Hopefully he can contain his emotions and be able to go out there and show everybody what he's capable of doing."