Garrett Crochet throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning Monday, April 29, 2024, in Chicago. (AP)
Garrett Crochet was breezing.
And then he took a breather.
Maybe sooner than he expected.
After retiring 11 straight Twins batters to the end of the fifth inning, Crochet was pulled with his pitch count at 77 pitches. Crochet and pitching coach Ethan Katz, with his hands on Crochet’s shoulders, had an involved discussion in the dugout.
It wasn’t immediately known why Crochet, who hugged catcher Korey Lee after talking to Katz, was pulled from the Sox’ 3-2 loss that ended their winning streak at three and stretched the Twins’ winning streak to eight. It is known that C workload in his first season as a starter will be monitored.
The relatively quick hook didn’t factor in the game’s outcome. The Sox bullpen held the Twins hitless until John Brebbia gave up Byron Buxton’s leadoff double and Max Kepler’s RBI single in the ninth.
Crochet was staked to a 2-0 lead in the first when Nicky Lopez singled, Andrew Vaughn doubled to the wall scoring Lopez and Gavin Sheets singled to set up a big first inning with runners at the corners and no outs against Joe Ryan. Eloy Jimenez hit into a double play, scoring a run but killing the inning.
The Twins tied it in the second when Carlos Santana followed Manuel Margot’s leadoff walk with a home run. After Willi Castro’s infield single, Crochet retired 11 straight. He allowed two hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Man with a plan
Catcher Korey Lee’s game plan preparation and signal calling are coming along, an element of catching he embraces.
“You’re in every single game, in every play, you’re doing the most homework on the team, the behind the scenes stuff,” Lee said. “I enjoy that. You can paint a picture of what’s going to happen and when you execute the plan, that’s what I enjoy.
“You have to have a real passion for what I do behind the scenes and with the pitching staff and communicating with our coaches. You have to really, really love it. I’ve learned to love it. Keep on hammering this thing out.”
Lee caught Crochet for the second straight time Monday after Martin Maldonado caught Crochet’s first five starts. The plan was adjust to the Twins’ jumping on Crochet’s fastball in Minnesota, where they plated five runs in four innings.
Lee struck out with runners at the corners to end the game.
Pham gets a breather
After making an immediate impact in the Sox’ three-game sweep over the Rays over the weekend, outfielder Tammy Pham was out of the lineup Monday.
“I’m just giving him a break,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “He didn’t have a spring training, he ran hard for three days. Everything he does is 100 percent from the time he gets in here to the very last pitch of the game. Have to protect him as well.”
Pham lined out to right field as a pinch hitter for Rafael Ortega in the ninth.
This and that
Brad Keller made his Sox debut, overcoming two walks in the first of two scoreless innings in relief of Crochet.
*Michael Kopech was perfect through the top of the Twins order in the eighth, touching 100-111 mph and striking out Carlos Correa looking at a 92-mph slider.
*Paid attendance was 10,772 on Dog in the Park night, which brought 1,243 canines into the ballpark.