Bieber, Indians get best of Giolito, White Sox
The duel did not disappoint.
With Lucas Giolito starting for the White Sox Tuesday and Shane Bieber on the mound for the Indians, the aces were out in full force at chilly Guaranteed Rate Field.
"It's fun," Giolito said. "I knew going in, Bieber won the Cy Young last year, he'll probably make it pretty difficult on our hitters so I've got to try and bring my best stuff and put up as many zeros as I can."
On a perfect night for pitching, Giolito and Bieber were all about the zeros.
Neither allowed a run and Cleveland waited until the 10th inning to snap a scoreless tie, winning 2-0.
Bieber was the best pitcher in the American League last season, going 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and easily winning the Cy Young Award.
Giolito finished seventh in the vote after going 4-3 with a 3.48 ERA and throwing a no-hitter.
Both right-handers were on cruise control throughout most of a game that moved into extra innings with Franmil Reyes on second base to open the 10th.
Garrett Crochet was on the mound for the White Sox in relief when leadoff man Josh Naylor was awarded first base on a catcher's interference call on Yasmani Grandal.
Reyes moved to third base on the error and that opened the door for the Indians, who got run-scoring hits from Roberto Perez and Amed Rosario.
Yoan Moncada started the bottom of the 10th inning on second base for the Sox, but Cleveland reliever James Karinchak struck out Nick Williams and got Grandal to ground out. Jake Lamb flied out deep to right field to end it.
Giolito allowed 3 hits and had 8 strikeouts over 7-plus innings. He walked Roberto Perez leading off the eighth and was pulled with a pitch count of 107.
Bieber went 9 innings and scattered 3 hits, struck out 11 and threw 113 pitches.
"It was fun," Giolito said. "These types of games are the ones that I remember, the ones that I really enjoy. The way Bieber was pitching tonight, I didn't have to wait in the dugout very long to get back out there. So it was like full go for every inning. We were both putting up zeros. It's just a battle.
"First game back (at home) in a new season, a full season, as opposed to the 60 (games last year). Having the fans back in attendance, that was huge. Hearing the crowd stand up and cheer in the two-strike counts, it just makes it more fun. This was a lot of fun tonight. Unfortunately, it didn't go our way in the end, but I thought it was a (heck) of a battle on both sides."