Reynaldo shows off rocket arm
The White Sox are rebuilding, and they see prospects navigating their way to the major leagues in waves for years to go.
Some have already arrived, and they played big parts in Friday night's 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field.
There was rookie center fielder Adam Engel, who had 2 triples in a game for the first time since Alejandro De Aza accomplished the feat six years ago.
There was rookie left fielder Nicky Delmonico, who singled in the fifth inning while becoming the first player in franchise history to reach base safely in his first 10 games since 1936.
There was second-year shortstop Tim Anderson continuing to rediscover his groove with a 2-run homer in the seventh inning.
And, last but certainly not least, there was Reynaldo Lopez.
"He broke (Mike Moustakas') bat three times," Sox catcher Kevan Smith said. "We were laughing about it. He just has really alive stuff. If he can keep on the path he's going, keep learning to use all his pitches and pitch off the fastball, we can't shy away from that fastball.
"Even when hitters know it's coming it's still a tough pitch to get to. When he gets that angle that Coop (pitching coach Don Cooper) talks about, he's almost unhittable."
Making his first start for the White Sox after coming up from Class AAA Charlotte, Lopez pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks. Throwing 20 of his 102 pitches 97 mph or faster, the 23-year-old righty had 6 strikeouts.
"I don't think it was part of the excitement or the adrenaline," Lopez said through an interpreter. "That was just part of my preparation and all the work that I did in my workout and in the gym and that was the way that it showed up today. I wasn't over excited. I was calm."
Moustakas did all of the damage against Lopez, hitting solo home runs on a hanging curveball and a changeup.
"As a pitcher, I know that I'm going to allow some hits," Lopez said. "But I think that the key is just to keep your focus on the game and keep your confidence and that was what all I did. I gave up three hits in a row but then I kept my confidence and I was able to get out of that (fourth) inning."
Manager Rick Renteria liked what he saw from his new starter as the White Sox stretched their winning streak to four games, their longest since late April.
"He was pretty good," Renteria said. "Pretty good fastball, his breaking ball was breaking very well. He attacked the strike zone. Obviously, he got some strikeouts early. He looked comfortable, too.
"He didn't look very nervous to be honest. He looked like he was in the right place. Everything he did was very much under control."