GLENDALE, Ariz. — The White Sox mounted what could have been a very fun ninth-inning rally Monday against the Padres, especially considering who was at the plate with the outcome hanging in the balance.
With the Sox down 6-3, Rymer Liriano opened the inning with a triple. Catcher of the future Zack Collins followed with a run-scoring ground-rule double. After a strikeout and a groundout, minor leaguer Jacob May kept hope alive with an RBI single that drew the Sox to within a run.
And that brought up the Sox’ top prospect, strapping second baseman Yoan Moncada. The 21-year-old Cuban got himself into a favorable 3-1 count, but the bat stayed glued to his shoulder for the next two pitches — both called strikes. So much for that.
Maybe Moncada was distracted by the sheer size of Padres reliever Brad Wieck, who goes 6-9, 255. Moncada went 0-for-4 with a walk. He has three hits, one of them a triple, in 18 at-bats thus far.
Nicky sticks
Apparently, all Sox non-roster invitee Nicky Delmonico does is hit. No one in Sox camp is swinging a hotter stick than the 24-year-old third baseman, who split time last season between AAA Charlotte and AA Birmingham.
Delmonico — couldn’t you just say his name over and over? — was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, raising his spring average to .348 with a 1.071 OPS.
Putting in work
Top pitching prospect Michael Kopech will throw a simulated game Tuesday, when the Sox have a rare off day. Pitching coach Don Cooper said he hopes to get the hard-throwing righty the equivalent to three innings of work, focusing primarily on fastball and changeup location.
On deck
Brewers at Sox, Glendale, Wednesday, 2:05 p.m., whitesox.com, Junior Guerra vs. James Shields.
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Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com
