Palms 13, White Sox 7 — Encarnación Erupts, Miami Takes the Series in a Rout
By Vin Castillo, Miami Sun-Sentinel
MIAMI — If the Miami Palms have been looking for a spark to take with them on their season-defining nine-game road trip, they may have just found it in the form of Edwin Encarnación’s bat — or possibly, whatever cosmic fireball he’s currently swinging in its place.
Encarnación crushed two home runs, including a towering grand slam in the second inning, driving in six as the Palms hammered the White Sox 13–7 on Thursday afternoon at Coca-Cola Palms Park.
That slam — a no-doubt rocket to deep left — turned a 2–1 lead into a 6–1 cushion and sent the dugout into full party mode.
“I’ve seen Eddie get hot, but this is something different,” Nick Markakis said afterward. “He’s guessing right, he’s getting pitches to hit… the man’s a bonfire.”
Markakis, not to be overshadowed, went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a double. Chris Korb chipped in three hits as well, including one of Miami’s seven extra-base hits on the day. Matt Koch added a pair of RBIs, and Brock Holt continued his resurgence with a 3-hit game of his own.
The Palms pounded out 18 hits, their highest total in over two weeks.
Manager Scott Hatteberg kept it simpler:
“Look, when our big guys drive the bus, everything settles in behind them. Eddie set the tone, and everybody rode the wave.”
Manny Parra was imperfect but serviceable, giving up five runs over five innings and leaning heavily on double plays and loud outs. The bullpen combination of Jeremy Jeffress and Cody Allen soaked up the final four innings without letting the game slip out of hand.
Chicago never went away quietly — Tim Anderson drove in three, and the Sox matched Miami with 12 hits — but every time they threatened, the Palms’ offense countered with a crooked number.
“We talked about finishing the homestand strong,” Hatteberg said. “That’s exactly what this looks like.”
Road Trip Ahead — and a Big One
The Palms (28–24) now head out for their longest stretch away from home so far:
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4 in Atlanta
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3 in Cincinnati
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2 in Toronto
It’s a difficult mix of hot lineups, hitter’s parks, and some of the National League’s toughest travel. But the club is boarding the plane carrying its first series win since early May — and the offense, at last, looks like it remembered how to breathe fire.
Encarnación grinned as he packed up his gear.
“Road trip?” he said. “Good. Let’s take the show on tour.”
Miami Palms 13, Chicago White Sox 7
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Chicago White Sox (1-2) Miami Palms (28-24)
Player AB R H BI BB SO P A E LOB Ave Player AB R H BI BB SO P A E LOB Ave
------ -- - - -- -- -- - - - --- --- ------ -- - - -- -- -- - - - --- ---
Robert, Jr. cf 5 1 1 1 0 2 4 0 0 0 .357 Munoz ss 5 2 2 0 0 1 2 2 0 2 .328
Mazara rf 4 2 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 1 .357 Markakis lf 5 3 3 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 .323
Moncada 3b 4 2 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 .462 Grant 1b 4 1 1 0 1 0 8 0 0 0 .270
Garcia dh 4 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 Encarnacion dh 5 2 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 3 .278
Grandal c 5 1 2 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 .308 Korb 3b 5 1 3 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 .281
Abreu 1b 4 0 1 0 1 1 5 0 0 0 .308 Sohn cf 5 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 1 .273
Anderson ss 5 0 2 3 0 2 2 3 0 5 .357 Wieters c 4 1 1 0 1 0 7 0 0 0 .239
Mendick 2b 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 0 3 .462 Holt rf 4 2 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 .254
Brugman lf 4 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 .000 Koch 2b 5 1 3 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 .287
-- - - -- -- -- -- -- -- --- -- - - -- -- -- -- -- -- ---
Totals 39 7 12 7 4 6 24 7 0 9 Totals 42 13 18 13 3 4 27 7 0 8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Chicago White Sox 0 1 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 7 12 0
Miami Palms 2 5 0 2 3 0 0 1 13 18 0
LOB- Chicago White Sox 9, Miami Palms 8; 2B- Anderson(1), Garcia(1), Mendick(4), Holt(3),
Korb(6), Munoz(11), Markakis(9); 3B- Moncada(2), Koch(3); HR- Robert, Jr.(2), Grandal(1),
Mazara(2), Encarnacion 2(11); RBI- Robert, Jr.(3), Grandal(2), Mazara(3), Anderson 3(5),
Garcia(2), Encarnacion 6(40), Koch 2(12), Holt(11), Korb(27), Markakis 3(22); RLSP- Mazara,
Anderson 2, Mendick 2, Encarnacion, Koch, Munoz;
Chicago White Sox IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Lopez(L 0-1) 3.0 9 7 7 1 2 21.00
Cingrani 1.0 2 2 2 0 1 18.00
Marshall 1.0 2 3 3 2 1 27.00
Bummer 2.0 3 0 0 0 0 0.00
Colome 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 3.00
Miami Palms IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Parra(W 4-6) 5.0 8 5 5 3 3 5.87
Jeffress 2.0 1 1 1 1 2 3.77
Allen 2.0 3 1 1 0 1 5.08
Pitches-strikes- Lopez 45-33, Cingrani 12-9, Marshall 26-13, Bummer 22-12, Colome 12-9,
Parra 91-51, Jeffress 25-15, Allen 24-18; Batters faced- Lopez 19, Cingrani 5,
Marshall 7, Bummer 9, Colome 5, Parra 26, Jeffress 8, Allen 9;
Temp - 83, Sky - Mostly Cloudy, Wind - E 7MPH
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