
Chris Sale was peak Chris Sale last night.
He threw a complete game—his fifth, more than any other pitcher this year—with 14 strikeouts—a season high and one short of his career record—and zero walks. He didn’t allow a runner on base after the fourth inning.
But, of course, some poor White Sox baserunning decisions (hint: more than one inning involved someone caught in a rundown) and an inability to do anything with the bases loaded that meant Sale’s 14K gem was ultimately for naught, as Chicago lost to Seattle 3-1. If this sounds a little familiar, it’s only the 13th time since 2013 that Sale has walked away with a loss despite striking out 10 or more.
Wash, rinse, slash uniforms in frustration, repeat.