(670 The Score) After his team’s rough loss in Seattle on Wednesday, White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn’s dominant performance was just what the club needed Thursday.
Lynn lived up to his big innings reputation by throwing a complete game five-hit shutout to lead the White Sox to a 6-0 win against the Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field in their home opener. Lynn got all the offense he needed when third baseman Yoan Moncada and designated hitter Yermin Mercedes homered in the first inning, and he made sure to do the rest in earning his first victory in a White Sox uniform.
Lynn struck out 11 and walked none while quieting the Royals with 111 pitches, 79 of them for strikes. It marked the second shutout of his career, with the other coming in 2014.
"I would say yes this is the kind of game I expect every time out, but that would be a lie,” Lynn said. “I only have four career complete games.
Pitch count wise and trying to go deep into games, that is what I try to do – just give our team a chance to win games.”
Lynn’s complete game was the first by a White Sox pitcher in the team’s home opener since Britt Burns in 1985. It was the first shutout by a White Sox pitcher in the home opener since Wilbur Wood in 1976.
"It is funny that this was your typical feel-terrible, have-good-success situation," Lynn said in reference to a subpar bullpen session pregame. “As the game went on, we were able to get through rain showers and stuff like that. Once I got the pitch count up a little bit, I felt loose and things got pretty good.”
Lynn’s effort was important because the White Sox’s bullpen had been taxed lately as the starters have struggled to go deep in games.
"What he did today from the first pitch on, he was nails,” manager Tony La Russa said. "He had control of all of his pitches and was throwing three different fastballs for strikes. Kansas City came in the top hitting team in the league. His ball was very deceptive with a lot of life.”
Lynn led all of MLB with 84 innings in the shortened 2020 season, and he has made at least 29 starts in every full season since earning a spot in the Cardinals’ rotation back in 2012.
“I got to see him pitch very early in his career,” La Russa said of having managed the rookie Lynn on the 2011 Cardinals. “He always had talent. He was a pitch-maker and had a good life in his arm. He came in very competitive and now he has experience and competitiveness. It's really impressive.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.