Lynn ejected in White Sox victory
Lance Lynn was laboring from the get-go in Wednesday night's start against the Athletics at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Working out of big jams in the first and third innings was impressive, but all of the traffic quickly ran up Lynn's pitch count.
After getting through the fourth, giving up 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks while throwing 88 pitches, Lynn's outing came to an end.
The White Sox's big right-hander wasn't lifted by manager Tony La Russa. He was ejected by home-plate umpire Nic Lentz.
Lynn wasn't tossed for arguing, it was an equipment check issue.
"I was coming off the mound and (Lentz) was late getting over, so I left my glove and my hat," Lynn said. "And then while I was going down the dugout to try to see the trainer, because I'm dealing with something, he yells at me that he needs to see my belt.
"So I tossed it up and he throws me out. He threw me out because I tossed my belt. I said, 'Well, if you were over there on time we wouldn't have this problem. I'm already in the dugout.' "
After the Sox beat Oakland for the third straight night, 3-2 this time, the bigger issue was Lynn's health. Is he feeling OK?
"See you in five days," Lynn said.
The White Sox sure hope so, because Lynn kept the A's from scoring when they had runners on second and third in the first inning and the bases loaded in the third.
"I wrote on my card, I think I wrote 'Amazing, amazing escapes,' " La Russa said. "He is just never going to quit competing. Never. No matter what the odds are, no matter what the situation is. He just competes, competes and he's got a lot to compete with."
Liam Hendriks is another fierce competitor at the back of the Sox's bullpen, and he record a five-out save.
"That's the toughest save he's had all year," La Russa said.
Craig Kimbrel was away from the White Sox to be at his grandfather's funeral. He's expected back Thursday.
After getting Tuesday night off as he gets back into the flow following a long layoff from a torn right-hip flexor, Sox center fielder Luis Robert snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Robert came through with another run-scoring single in the sixth, and he's 12-for-28 with 2 home runs and 6 RBI since rejoining the White Sox on Aug. 9 after a three-month absence.
"Honestly, you never know how you're going to produce when you come back," Robert said through a translator. "You're hoping to do your best, but you don't know. You don't have that certainty. I want to thank God because this is happening.
"Honestly, I'm feeling kind of the same way I was feeling right before the injury happened."