Jimenez struck out 3 times in loss
Chicago White Sox slugger Eloy Jimenez struck out in a bizarre fashion against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday in the bottom of the second inning of their matchup.
Jimenez was down 0-2 in the count, and as Cardinals pitcher Steven Matz was in his windup to deliver the next pitch, the White Sox designated hitter tried to call time-out. He turned toward the home plate umpire and asked for a time-out. But he wasn’t granted one.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Chicago White Sox designated hitter Eloy Jimenez looks on from the dugout before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. (Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today Sports)
Matz was in the process of throwing a pitch when Jimenez stepped out of the batter’s box. The curveball came, and the umpire called strike three.
Jimenez turned toward the umpire as he walked back to the dugout and suggested he needed to be focused on the pitch when Matz threw the ball. Regardless, Jimenez was out. He finished the game 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
St. Louis won the game in 10 innings, 4-3.
LSU BASEBALL STARS MAKE HISTORY AT MLB DRAFT AS FIRST TWO PLAYERS OFF THE BOARD
Matz, who had been put on relief duty after going 0-6 with a 5.72 ERA in his first 10 starts, started his first game since May 24. He went 5 1/3 innings, racking up nine strikeouts and allowing one run on two hits. The run was unearned, and he lowered his ERA to 4.65.
Steven Matz of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 9, 2023, in Chicago. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Getty Images)
"He pitched with a little bit of edge today," Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said. "Today we [saw] him very convicted."
St. Louis Cardinals' Willson Contreras celebrates in the dugout after he hit a two-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning, July 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo / Matt Marton)
Chicago’s Lucas Giolito had five strikeouts in seven innings. He allowed a home run to Willson Contreras in the fourth inning – a two-run shot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.