Chicago White Sox morning after: Hendriks overcomes Rockies, altitude

DENVER — For Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, nailing down the save in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Colorado Rockies took more than just hitting his spots with his pitches. It also took overcoming all of the health issues Hendriks was dealing with by pitching in the Mile High City.

Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks battled altitude, Colorado Rockies bats in Tuesday’s win in Denver

On Tuesday, Hendriks entered in the bottom of the ninth with the Chicago White Sox leading 2-0. A tough 27 pitches later, Hendriks had given up a solo home run to Ryan McMahon but had also recorded his 19th save of the season, helping the White Sox get above the .500 mark for the first time since they were 22-21 on May 25.

After the game, Chicago manager Tony La Russa praised Hendriks for overcoming the breathing issues he was having at Coors Field and helping preserve the White Sox win.

“Prior to the game, he was having trouble with the altitude,” La Russa said of Hendriks. “We called down there during (the sixth inning) to make sure he could go. He was struggling but he gutted it out. He made some great pitches to get those three outs.”

Altitude has caused issues for Hendriks before, with the reliever remembering when he pitched in Triple-A at Colorado Springs in 2014 and what he has done since then when preparing to pitch at altitude.

“I pitched for seven innings and in between each inning, I was throwing up in the bathroom,” Hendriks remembered about that 2014 outing. “Since then, I’ve been medicated and the medication’s interesting because I lose feeling in some of my extremities, which is always a fun time.”

Hendriks said the altitude didn’t bother him as bad during last year’s MLB All-Star Game in Denver as it did this trip when he needed oxygen before and after his inning of work. However, Hendriks balked at the notion that he wouldn’t pitch the ninth.

“No matter how I’m feeling and no matter what the situation is, I’m going to be ready, especially with the off day yesterday and the off day in a couple of days,” Hendriks said. “It doesn’t matter what’s happening. I’m getting ready to pitch. That’s why I’m here.”

After McMahon led off the ninth with a home run, Hendriks retired the next two batters before Charlie Blackmon stepped to the plate. Hendriks and Blackmon have a history, with the Rockies outfielder hitting a home run off Hendriks (then with the Oakland A’s) in the 2019 All-Star Game.

Hendriks needed eight pitches to finally retire Blackmon on a groundout and end the game, marking the end of the first-ever in-season matchup between the two veterans.

“I have the utmost respect for Charlie in the box,” Hendriks said. “He’s such a classy hitter and it’s a pain in the a– to face him.

“It was a great battle and I’m glad I came out on the right side of it this time, but if we ever face each other again, it’s going to be that same kind of thing. That’s how good a hitter he is in the box.”

La Russa shared the praise for Blackmon as well.

“Oh man, I’ve seen too much of him,” La Russa said of Blackmon. “I’ve seen him do some dramatic things. We got him today but he’s a great player.”

Hendriks was the last of five Chicago pitchers who scattered nine hits on the night, with starter Michael Kopech earning the win in his first-ever start in Denver, thanks to 5.1 shutout innings.

The Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies conclude their two-game series in Denver on Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. (Mountain time) with Lucas Giolito (1-3, 3.31 ERA) taking the mound for Chicago against Colorado’s Antonio Senzatela (3-5, 4.98 ERA).