Liam Hendriks displays some spicy language while becoming 2nd White Sox pitcher to earn save in an All-Star Game
DENVER — Liam Hendriks’ language can get a little spicy while he’s closing out games for the Chicago White Sox.
“I tend to get a little animated out there and throw a couple of expletives around,” he said. “But I have fun out there, that’s the biggest thing.”
Hendriks earned the save in the American League’s 5-2 victory in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Coors Field. He also was one of several players Fox Sports equipped with microphones and earpieces for in-game interviews.
But instead of getting a conversation with Hendriks as he pitched the ninth inning, the Fox broadcast picked up some of the Sox closer’s R-rated language.
“The fact I was able to throw the ninth and have a relatively eventful ninth kind of plays into my personality a little bit,” Hendriks said. “And not realizing the mic was hot and I couldn’t hear them and they could hear me was a lot of fun.
“I would have been a little more conscious if I had heard them back. But it turned out, the volume was too low. Probably my fault, a little user error. But it makes for some interesting TV, I’m sure. Hopefully the bleeping guy was on point.”
The first batter Hendriks faced, Milwaukee Brewers catcher Omar Narváez, reached on an infield hit. With Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor batting, Hendriks threw a pitch to the backstop that bounced back to Tampa Bay Rays catcher Mike Zunino, who easily threw out Narváez at second.
Hendriks struck out Taylor. Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies doubled, but Hendriks got Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner to bounce out to second to end the game.
He became the first Australian to earn a save in the All-Star Game and the second Sox pitcher, joining Virgil Trucks in 1954.
Hendriks said getting a save in the All-Star Game was “something I never dreamed up.” He praised a number of AL closers.
“I’ll take the ball no matter what, but there are a lot people I feel are a lot more deserving than what I’ve been able to do this year,” Hendriks said. “But I’m grateful and I will always continue to work as hard as I possibly can to put up zeros and help my team win.”
Hendriks leads the AL with 23 saves in 27 opportunities and has 63 strikeouts versus only four walks in 39 1/3 innings.
“Now that this is all done and over with, now it’s go back to the Chicago White Sox and try to expand the division lead,” he said.
