Tim Anderson made sure to let everyone know it was over when he connected on a pitch from Yankees reliever Zack Britton for a walk-off two-run homer. The ball disappeared into the cornfield, a display of fireworks lit up the sky, Anderson tossed his helmet and jumped into a sea of happy humans wearing White Sox uniforms as he touched home plate. Is this heaven?
“It was a dream come true,” White Sox bench coach Miguel Cairo said after the game.
It was the perfect ending for a game that was so much bigger than just another regular-season game. The Field of Dreams game was meant to honor the iconic 1989 movie and instead, it delivered a script that was better than the movie itself.
“These are the moments you want to be in. These big games like this, this is the time to show up.”
A #walkoff into the corn at #MLBatFieldofDreams.
Couldn't write a better script. pic.twitter.com/D3I6yyzDPW
— MLB (@MLB) August 13, 2021
The White Sox were desperate to make their presence felt on the national stage. When the lights are brightest the team seems to shine with them. They already bested the Milwaukee Brewers on “Sunday Night Baseball” and then clobbered the Cubs during the same event a few weeks later.
Despite owning a winning record and an 11.5 division lead many still question whether they can beat good teams. Thursday night’s first annual Field of Dreams Game was the perfect opportunity to showcase how good they are against the mighty New York Yankees.
After emerging from the cornfield with Kevin Costner the White Sox seized the moment and ran with it. Jose Abreu got things started with the first American League or National League home run hit in Iowa. The solo shot also tied him with Hall of Famer Harold Baines for third place on the franchise’s all-time list.
After falling behind 3-1, Tim Anderson hit an RBI double in the third inning to bring the White Sox within one. Then Eloy Jimenez launched a three-run shot to give the White Sox a 5-3 lead. Seby Zavala added some insurance in the fourth inning with a two-run homer to left field to make it 7-3.
Micheal Kopech escaped a jam sixth inning in a performance so impressive that Patrick Mahomes took notice on Twitter. Aaron Bummer and Craig Kimbrel helped pass the baton to Liam Hendriks in the bullpen and it looks like a fitting ending to a dominant team performance.
However, baseball is a funny game. The Yankees came storming back against the American League leader in saves. Aaron Judge got the Bronx Bombers within one run with a two-run homer then Giancarlo Stanton added a gut-punch with his two-run homer to take the lead.
But the White Sox refused to lie down and die for anybody. They were sure as hell not going to do it with Kevin Costner in the stands and half of America watching.
“We never give up, and you see the result,” Eloy Jimenez said. “That was a message for everyone.”
Seby Zavala came up to bat with one out in the ninth and quickly fell behind 0-2. He was able to work a great at-bat off Zack Britton and drew a walk. That allowed Tim Anderson to come to the plate representing the tying run. What followed was a moment that will forever live in Chicago White Sox folklore.
“There’s no quit,” starting pitcher Lance Lynn said. “You look at what happened at the end there, we could have ducked our heads and just went off. But Tim was able to put a good swing on it for the win. We’re not going to quit until it’s over. That’s who we are, and that’s what we’re about.”
What makes this win even better was all the contributions from up and down the roster. Veterans like Lynn and Abreu. Bullpen arms like Kopech, Bummer, and Kimbrel. Young stars such as Tim Anderson and Eloy Jimenez. Even unsung heroes like Seby Zavala contributed to this one.
“It shows we can be dangerous all the way through,” Anderson said. “You have to go through that lineup four or five times, and that’s tough to do. If we keep fighting and keep pushing and keep being good teammates, we have a chance to do something real special.”
Tim Anderson’s walk-off homer was the fifteenth ever hit by the White Sox against the Yankees. The first-ever was Shoeless Joe Jackson on July 20th, 1919. Shoeless Joe Jackson is portrayed by Ray Liotta in the film Field of Dreams. He and is the first ghost to appear from the cornfield. Jackson is an intricate part of the movie’s plot.
Thursday night was special. But Tim Anderson hasn’t seen Field of Dreams. “I might see it. I don’t know,” he said. “But the White Sox have bigger and better things on their minds. But for one night the White Sox helped give the game something beautiful. As Tim Anderson put it:
“I gave everybody a memory tonight.”