ATLANTA — Starter Martin Perez pitched 5 ⅓ strong innings against the Braves in his first start since his remarkable return from a forearm injury that derailed his first season with the White Sox, who still fell 1-0 on a down night for their feast-or-famine offense.
Perez didn’t allow a runner past first base until Marcell Ozuna lined a double off the left-field wall with one out in the fourth inning. Ozuna ended up scoring when Colson Montgomery couldn’t handle an Ozzie Albies grounder.
Manager Will Venable took the ball from Perez after the 34-year-old veteran had struck out Matt Olson to open the fifth inning with his 74th pitch. Perez gave up only three hits with five strikeouts, no walks and the unearned run on his line.
A White Sox offense that had put up 23 runs the previous two nights couldn’t get anywhere against Braves starter Hurston Waldrep, who allowed four hits and struck out seven.
Perez pitched 3 ⅓ innings out of the bullpen last week in his first action since an April 18 forearm injury threatened his season, if not his career.
“To have that stability with a guy that you know is going to take the ball and have an understanding of how to go out there and find a way to win, it means a lot,” Venable said before the game.
Picking his battles
Rookie Edgar Quero caught ex-Cub infielder Vidal Brujan sleeping at first base Tuesday night, with the Sox’ catcher throwing a laser to first baseman Miguel Vargas to tag out Brujan and end a late Braves rally.
It was Quero’s MLB-leading fifth pickoff of the season, tying a team record (Bill Nahorodny in 1978) with six weeks left to play.
“I got there with Vargy — he gave me the sign,” Quero said of a play that felt like a momentum-shifter, till the Sox bullpen fully collapsed in an 11-10 loss.
Quero, 22, has impressed at and behind the plate in his first season, batting .279/.347/.380 with four homers and 30 RBI.
“He’s just got great instincts,” manager Venable said.
Jack of all trades
When the White Sox used a pinch hitter taking one of their two rookie catchers out of the game last weekend in Kansas City, Venable first had to make sure that Brooks Baldwin was prepared to suit up behind the plate as the emergency backstop.
“I said sure,” Baldwin recalled before taking the field in right Wednesday against the Braves.
And why wouldn’t he? The 25-year-old switch-hitting utility man is the only player in the majors this year to start five or more games at six different positions: second, third, short and all three outfield spots.
Meanwhile, the second-year Swiss army-knife has shown some pop with eight home runs and 27 RBI.
“It’s in the tank there,” Baldwin said.
Rate Field South
Former Sox starter Dane Dunning struck out two in a clean inning out of the Braves’ bullpen Tuesday.
He’s one of five former Sox pitchers with Atlanta along with Aaron Bummer, Erick Fedde, Reynaldo Lopez and Cy Young winner Chris Sale, who’s on a rehab assignment on his way back from a broken rib.
“I learned a lot from people like James McCann and [Lucas] Giolito, even Bummer,” said Dunning, whom the Sox dealt for Lance Lynn after their brief 2020 playoff run.
“Just the way of going about things. Jose Abreu, who was such a big presence in that locker room, but he treated everyone great,” Dunning said. “And that’s pretty much what I saw and took from there. It doesn’t matter what stature you are — as long as you’re a good teammate, people want to have you around.”
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