Dallas Keuchel gives the Chicago White Sox 5-plus innings on short notice in an unusual 4-3 walk-off win: ‘About time we caught one of those breaks’

Dallas Keuchel found out a couple of hours before Monday’s game that he would be the starting pitcher.

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do sometimes,” said Keuchel, who stepped in after Carlos Rodón was scratched because of an upset stomach. “We’ve been taxing the pen a lot, so I felt like I was trying to do the best I could.”

Keuchel pitched five-plus innings and the bullpen, led by Evan Marshall and Codi Heuer, made major contributions in a 4-3 victory against the Cleveland Indians in front of 7,393 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox won in an unusual fashion.

Nick Williams came up with runners on first and second and one out in the ninth.

He grounded to first, and Yu Chang attempted to get the forceout at second. But his throw hit Yasmani Grandal and bounced away, allowing Nick Madrigal to score the winning run from second.

Yermín Mercedes started the rally, reaching on a one-out infield hit. Madrigal pinch-ran and moved to second when Grandal walked. That set the stage for Williams, who put the bat on the ball to set the final sequence in motion.

“That’s about time we caught one of those breaks,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “Both teams put an awful lot into that game. It’s an outstanding win for us. Our pitching staff and especially the defense really showed up big.”

It started with Keuchel, whom La Russa called the “biggest hero the night.”

“We first heard Carlos wasn’t feeling good, we all got together and started talking about alternatives,” La Russa said. “We had like three or maybe four alternatives. The one that made the most sense — but not the one we were pulling for — was to use Dallas. It was his regular day but he had thrown a pen yesterday. It wasn’t an extensive pen. Carlos was getting better.

“The more he improved, the more he thought maybe. But when he got here, he was just starting to feel better. He was weak. So Dallas was ready to take the ball and he took it.”

Keuchel said it’s the latest he ever has learned he would be on the mound.

“But I was kind of maneuvering my workout to potentially mimic a start, so I wasn’t there for pitchers stretch, which I never really am there for pitchers stretch so that wasn’t really out of the norm,” Keuchel said. “I didn’t want to throw and play catch before I knew. Five o’clock when I found out, it was, ‘All right, let’s warm this body up and get going.’ ”

Keuchel allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks in five-plus innings.

The Sox led 3-2 entering the sixth thanks to a three-run home run in the third by Adam Eaton, his third homer of the season.

Keuchel ran out of gas and into trouble in the sixth with two walks sandwiching a single to load the bases with no outs.

Marshall entered and struck out the dangerous José Ramírez. Franmil Reyes tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center, but Marshall got Eddie Rosario to fly out to left to limit the damage.

“Bases loaded, bases empty, that’s my job,” Marshall said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on out there. I’m going to go out there and do my best to be effective. So that’s one of those things, you sort of ignore what’s going on around you and worry about your own business.”

Heuer was just as effective, recording career highs in strikeouts (four) and innings pitched (2⅓) for the win.

“I‘ll never turn down the ball,” Heuer said. “Whenever I can suck up another inning for the bullpen that’s been taxed, I’ll never turn that down.

“Getting three ups out of the bullpen can be a challenge. I was efficient, body felt great. So honestly, there was no doubt in my mind. I’ll keep throwing until it falls off.”

Heuer struck out Roberto Pérez for the final out of the ninth, and the Sox got a break to go their way in the bottom of the inning to return to .500 (5-5).

“I’ve never seen that happen in that sequence,” Marshall said of the final play.

Lucas Giolito will start Tuesday for the Sox. The rotation for the remainder of the series is to be determined.

Keuchel was originally scheduled for the third game of the series but filled in Monday when needed.

“I try to do everything I can, more to help myself out because I want to be the best pitcher I possibly can,” Keuchel said. “But also in times like this, the rarity is to step up and fill in the void, especially when the bullpen has been taxed. (Michael) Kopech pitching three innings (Sunday), so that was out of the equation, Garrett (Crochet) pitched in extra innings, so there wasn’t really anybody else to lengthen the game. So that is where I came into play.

“Outside of the sixth inning, the game went extremely well. I was able to attack. It was nice of Tony to say that, but I’m never one to get recognition for something I’m supposed to do anyway.”

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