Giolito ejected in White Sox's 9-2 loss to Giants
Getting a grip on his emotions helped Lucas Giolito get a shot in the Chicago White Sox's starting rotation this season.
Physically, Giolito has the tools to be a standout starter in the major leagues.
Mentally, he's made big strides since the first half of the season, when he was producing mixed results with Class AAA Charlotte.
Giolito was calm, cool and collected in his first three starts for the Sox, and the 23-year-old righty entered Friday night's interleague game against San Francisco with back-to-back wins while allowing just 1 run in 14 innings over the stretch.
In a 9-2 loss to the Giants, Giolito scuffled a bit and was also burned by home-plate umpire Gabe Morales' erratic strike zone.
Giolito's frustration boiled after he appeared to strike out Hunter Pence with one out in the sixth inning.
Morales called the 3-2 pitch a ball on what looked to be a low strike, so Pence walked while Buster Posey stole home to give the Giants a 4-2 lead.
Manager Rick Renteria pulled Giolito after the Pence walk, and the rookie pitcher yelled at Morales as he walked off the field.
Morales ejected Giolito, who then moved toward the umpire before being pulled away by bench coach Joe McEwing.
“I basically just told him that I wished he would have worked me a little bit better,” Giolito said. “I felt like I threw a few pitches that were clearly in the strike zone that he called balls throughout the night, especially that last one. It was a big situation. It was strike him out, throw him out if I got strike three there.”
The ejection was a first for Giolito.
“I don't think I said anything to warrant an ejection,” he said. “I just kind of wanted to let (Morales) know I thought he missed some calls throughout the night. To a certain extent, you have to stand up for yourself. I guess I just said one too many things.”
Crew chief Eric Cooper wound up ejecting Renteria for arguing with Morales as the Sox lost their fifth straight.
Giolito didn't get the win, but he wasn't bad.
With runners on first and second and two outs in the fourth inning, Giolito hung a changeup to Pablo Sandoval, who was mired in an 0-for-39 slump.
Sandoval hit a 3-run homer to give the Giants the early lead.
With the loss, the White Sox (54-86) have the second worst record in baseball. The Phillies (53-88) are in the basement and the Giants (56-87) now have the third worst record.