Rookie Drew Thorpe solid over 6 1/3 innings and White Sox beat Marlins 3-2

Updated Jul. 5, 2024 11:20 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Drew Thorpe threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball, Nicky López doubled twice and drove in two runs and the Chicago White Sox beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Friday night.

Luis Robert Jr. had two hits, two walks and two stolen bases for the White Sox, who won their first opening game of a road series this season. They were 0-14 before Friday.

“I thought we hit the ball extremely well,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “We had some good at-bats. They just made some pitches when they needed to keep the runs down. Good baseball game all the way around.”

The Marlins lost their fifth straight and dropped to an NL worst 30-58.

In his fifth major league start, Thorpe (3-1) pitched into the seventh for the first time since being promoted from the minor leagues June 11. The rookie scattered three hits, walked two and struck out five.

“I felt everything was working, mixing the speeds,” Thorpe said. “I just stuck to the game plan and tried not to do too much.”

Thorpe also considered it an important career milestone extending his outing into the seventh.

“It means a lot,” Thorpe said. “We had a bullpen day the other day and you get to save them. I just tried to extend as much as possible. That’s what I needed to do coming in. I wanted to finish (the seventh), but it is what it is.”

The White Sox struck quickly against Marlins starter Bryan Hoeing on López’s run-scoring double in the second.

Martín Maldonado’s RBI double against reliever Roddery Muñoz in the fourth made it 2-0 before López hit another run-scoring double in the fifth.

John Brebbia relieved Thorpe after Dane Myers’ one-out double in the seventh and allowed a run scoring single by Xavier Edwards. Miami loaded the bases against Brebbia with two out when center fielder Robert tracked down Bryan De La Cruz’s drive at the wall to end the threat.

“Not many guys can make that play,” Grifol said. “I don’t know what the catch probability on that is.”

The Marlins rallied against closer Michael Kopech in the ninth. Vidal Bruján reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to third on Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s two-out single and scored on De La Cruz’s single. But Kopech retired Josh Bell on a groundout for his eighth save.

“Tough day offensively,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “Thorpe was good. We couldn’t get to the changeup even when we sat on it. We couldn’t hit it. Just a lot of weak contact. I thought we had some really good at-bats against their bullpen.”

Hoeing (0-1), recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday, gave up one run, five hits and struck out four in three innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: INF Yoán Moncada (left adductor strain) will be used as designated hitter in games at the club’s rookie complex in Arizona next week.

Marlins: Optioned Kyle Tyler to Triple-A Jacksonville for Hoeing’s spot on the roster. ...RHP Sixto Sánchez (right shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen session at the club’s spring training complex in Jupiter.

UP NEXT

LHP Garrett Crochet (6-6, 3.02) will start for the White Sox on Saturday against Marlins’ RHP Yonny Chirinos (0-0, 3.77).

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