No place like home for Robert: Sox win home opener 3-2 over Mariners
When the White Sox played their home opener in 2020, there were no fans in the stands due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Last season, the ongoing pandemic was responsible for a reduced crowd of 8,207 when the Sox played their first game at Guaranteed Rate Field.
After two years of pain and peril, White Sox fans turned out in droves for Tuesday afternoon's season opener against the Mariners.
It was a double delight for the 36,948 in attendance.
Not only did the Sox hang on to beat Seattle 3-2, center fielder Luis Robert put on a show worth remembering.
"Just to see what he does what on a day-to-day basis and see from year to year how he just keeps growing and maturing, man, it's crazy," shortstop Tim Anderson said. "He's got a chance to be one of the best in the game as long as he keeps working. But what he did today is definitely, you don't see that every day. I think that shows how special he is and how special he can really be."
Robert began taking over the game in the third inning, when the Mariners were ahead 1-0 with runners on first and second and 1 out.
On a deep drive off the bat of Mitch Haniger, Robert ran it down and made the catch before bouncing off the wall.
"He definitely tracks some stuff down out there," Vince Velasquez said after making his first career start for the White Sox. "It's very comforting as a pitcher to know that there's a lot of ground that's going to be covered."
In the sixth, Robert's solo home run snapped a 1-1 tie, and he walked, stole second and third and scored what turned out to be the winning run in the eighth inning.
"It feels good," Robert said though a translator. "I think it's just proof that I'm feeling very good physically. Being able to do that in the home opener is something that is special, too. Hopefully, that's something I can carry through the whole season."
Robert tore his right hip flexor in early May last season and was limited to 68 games. If he can stay healthy this year, more than a few think the 24-year-old outfielder can make an MVP run.
"He's got that much talent, it's a joke," closer Liam Hendriks said. "He does everything well. He does everything the right way as well and from a young guy, that's incredible."
Before Hendriks allowed 1 run in the ninth inning and earned his first save of the season, Velasquez went 4 innings and gave up 1 run on 2 hits and 3 walks.
"I told you guys from the beginning that I'm going to go out and try to go as deep as I possibly can knowing that we have a strong backbone at the end," Velasquez said. "That's pretty much what was displayed today."