Chris Sales strikes out 13, out-duels Max Scherzer

While the world focused on the first full slate of college football games, Major League Baseball had a marquee pitching match-up on Saturday afternoon as the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers faced off in the first game of a doubleheader.

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It was Max Scherzer opposite Chris Sale in this one. Both pitchers struck out double-digit hitters, but it was Sale with 13 strikeouts who prevailed as the White Sox went on to win by a final score of 6-3.

Scherzer had 11 strikeouts of his own in the losing effort. Perhaps what made this game most interesting was the fact that both aces stared down some trouble early in this one, getting touched up for damage in the first couple innings.

After surrendering three earned runs and fighting his command, Sale bounced back to go seven innings. He would allow just those three runs while walking two and striking out 13. This was a game that the Tigers could have used in the midst of their battle with the Kansas City Royals atop the American League Central, but they were unable to get anything else going against Sale as this game wore on.

Scherzer’s line was up and down in this one. He did record the 11 strikeouts, but also gave up six runs, five of them earned. Ultimately he just got outdueled by the rare pitcher who is his equal in a game that had more offense than most people probably expected.

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