Rookies Robert, Dunning lift White Sox over Royals in 10
Anyone paying even remote attention to White Sox baseball this season already knows Luis Robert has the skills to become a generational talent.
The 23-year-old center fielder continued padding his blossoming resume Sunday, hitting a 3-run homer in the 10th inning to give the Sox a 5-2 win over the Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field.
"A very strong young man," manager Rick Renteria said after Robert came through with his first walk-off hit in the majors. "Things like that are very possible with him. He picked us up and it was nice to see."
Another White Sox rookie that sparked Sunday's win - starting pitcher Dane Dunning - is beginning to make a name for himself as well.
In his second major-league start, Dunning threw 5 no-hit innings against Kansas City. The 25-year-old righty had 7 strikeouts and only 1 walk.
"Definitely, I felt really comfortable on the mound today, felt in my groove," Dunning said. "Felt really good. My first start, the debut, the nerves were a little bit high. In this outing, the first inning, nerves are there a little but as the game went on it kind of came back to me. It felt really comfortable and it felt good."
Dunning didn't pitch last year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
He has been at the Sox's training facility in Schaumburg for most of this season, but Dunning has already shown enough to lock down a spot in the major-league rotation.
"He's continuing to throw the ball very well, keeping us in the ballgame, obviously giving us a good chance," Renteria said. "As they're coming off of their injuries and we kind of monitor them so closely to make sure they're coming through good, he threw the ball very well. And we just make sure we're more conservative in terms of how far we keep them going.
"He threw five great innings of baseball. Obviously gave us a chance, gave himself a chance to win a ballgame and we're very happy with the way he threw the ball."
Dunning was limited to 79 pitches, but that count should gradually rise as he moves forward.
"I feel like I'm capable of doing it," said Dunning, who has allowed 3 runs in 9⅓ innings through 2 starts. "I've been built up, especially in Schaumburg. I've been throwing longer outings and I feel good. I feel I can go long."
Robert went long on the first pitch from Royals relief pitcher Tyler Zuber to win it for the White Sox.
Now batting .291/.339/.581, Robert ranks second on the Sox with 9 home runs and third with 22 RBI.
"I had a pretty good start then I kind of hit a wall," Robert said. "I kept working with the guys, working with Pito (Jose Abreu), with Eloy (Jimenez). Each time, just teaching me, giving me advice and now I'm in this moment where things are going my way again.
"But I still have room to improve, I'm prepared to learn every day. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get better every day."