Edgar Quero delivers clutch hit in White Sox' win, impresses teammates with relaxed demeanor
BOSTON — Whether he’s starting or entering as a pinch hitter, White Sox rookie catcher Edgar Quero is prepared when his number is called.
After pinch hitter Brooks Baldwin cut the Sox’ deficit to one with a bases-loaded sacrifice bunt in the seventh inning, Quero batted for designated hitter Nick Maton and hit a 1-2 pitch up the middle for the first two RBI of his career.
They tacked on two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to beat the Red Sox 8-4 on Sunday, snap their six-game skid and earn their first road victory of the season in nine games.
“That means a lot because the game was on the line ... we were losing,” Quero said of his clutch hit.
The Sox (5-16) also earned their first win when trailing after the sixth inning — they were 0-12 in such games. Three of their five victories have come against the Red Sox (12-11).
Quero is slashing .364/.417/.545 in 11 major-league at-bats. But his splashy start goes beyond the results. His relaxed demeanor and professional at-bats show a player wise beyond his years.
“That’s who he is,” Sox manager Will Venable said. “He’s comfortable on a major-league field. He’s a really good baseball player, and he knows it. Reminds me of [Chase] Meidroth, where these guys, they don’t get sped up by the moment or the stage. Just out there doing their thing. It’s been great.”
That showed during his at-bat. Quero whiffed on a cutter at the top of the zone for the first strike. After collecting himself, he didn’t swing at a fastball way out of the zone. He fouled off the next pitch, narrowly missing on a 95.8 mph four-seamer, and fouled off the next fastball to stay alive.
He then got most of an 88.6 mph slider that he grounded into center field. Quero’s teammates are noticing his performance.
“He’s been phenomenal both at the plate and behind the plate,” said starting pitcher Sean Burke. “He’s continuing to get better and better each day. It’s impressive to see how hard he’s working. The pregame work is translating to the game. It’s cool to watch.”
Burke delivered a solid start after three straight poor performances. It marked the first time he threw at least five innings since Opening Day. He allowed four runs (one earned) and five hits while walking three and striking out five. The bullpen shut down the Red Sox, holding them to one hit in four innings.
In the eighth, Andrew Vaughn hit a two-run homer to left-center field. In the ninth, Matt Thaiss was hit by a pitch to drive in a run.
After tying the game in the seventh Saturday but ultimately losing in 10 innings, the Sox were pleased to see results from their comeback. The club has competed for the last two days with a Red Sox team with playoff aspirations.
“These guys have been working so hard,” Venable said. “We talked about it, the game — sometimes it doesn’t reward you and you have to just keep going, and that’s the mindset these guys have. That’s something everyone in the building is embracing, and it’s nice for it to pay off today.”