Quintana finally gets to 10 wins as White Sox top A's
As far as individual achievements go, winning 10 games doesn't seem like a milestone worthy of mention.
In Jose Quintana's case, it sparked quite a celebration.
“You should have seen him over there a little bit ago,” third baseman Todd Frazier said in the Chicago White Sox's postgame clubhouse after Sunday's 4-2 victory over Oakland at U.S. Cellular Field.
“He was very excited. He was just yelling and screaming like a little kid in there. He deserved it. Happy for him.”
Major-league starting pitchers can control their innings pitched, and they can control their ERA, to a certain extent. But they need help to pile up the wins, and Quintana has been on an island in that regard.
The left-hander came into the game with the lowest run support average (3.00) in the American League, and the White Sox had scored 1 run or fewer in 11 of his 17 starts before Sunday.
They didn't exactly erupt with the 4 runs against the Athletics, but it was enough for Quintana to become a 10-game winner for the first time.
“This is really special for me,” Quintana said after allowing 2 runs on 8 hits in 7-plus innings. “When the year started, that's my first goal. I want to get more than 10 wins to help my team, but I'm really happy. I'll try to get more wins.”
After just about every start — and most are quality — Quintana is left with a no-decision or a loss, and he never complains. That's why the elusive No. 10 was even more special. Quintana got stuck on 9 wins in each of the last three seasons.
“For as well as he's pitched over his years here, for him to get 10 wins is nice,” manager Robin Ventura said. “I know the guys are happy about it that they're able to get one for him, that something didn't happen. It wasn't a no-decision. He pitched well.
“He deserves it, and we did enough offensively to do it for him.”
Center fielder J.B. Shuck helped Quintana's cause with two nice catches, but scoring 3 runs off Oakland starter Zach Neal in the first inning was the biggest boost.
“That helps a lot, especially for him,” Ventura said. “The lack of run support that he's had over a period of time, it looks a little bit like his day.”
It actually has been a big year for Quintana.
Not only does he have 10 wins for the first time, he ranks fourth in the AL with a 2.84 ERA and sixth with 164⅔ innings pitched. The 27-year-old pitcher also made his first trip to the All-Star Game in July.
“I have more experience now, and that's special this year to make the all-star team and get 10 wins and try to get more,” Quintana said. “That's really important for me and the best point here is to help my team.”