White Sox Escape Making History in First Comeback Win of the Season
Abysmal Baseball Continues
Before Jonathan Cannon could take the mound to deliver the first pitch, soggy weather conditions floated through the area, leading to a one-hour, five-minute-long rain delay. Once the game got underway, the White Sox blunders that have been as common as they are emblematic of a season this benign began to unfold.
Miscommunication between Cannon, first baseman Gavin Sheets and third baseman Miguel Vargas on a Mickey Moniak pop-up led to the ball harmlessly crashing into the infield grass for a base hit in the fifth. “Yeah, I called it and then heard some footsteps and got a little bit flustered,” Cannon said after the game. “But is it what it is, the guy didn’t score so there was no damage. But definitely a learning experience. Next time I’m just going to get out of the way.”
In the seventh, former White Sox outfielder Kevin Pillar walked before stealing second base. Then, Eric Wagaman drove him in for the first run of the game on an RBI double. An inning later, Jack Lopez — the Angels’ No. 9 hitting who owned a.479 OPS heading into the game — crushed an 0-1 slider over the left field fence for his first career home run, making the score 2-0.
A Break Goes the White Sox’ Way
But for the first time all year, they actually had enough spunk to fight back. The White Sox scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to retake the lead, courtesy of back-to-back doubles from Zach DeLoach and Bryan Ramos to make the game 2-1, Lopez dropping a Luis Robert Jr. popup with runners at first and third to score the game-tying run, and Andrew Benintendi lacing an RBI single to left field to take the lead.
“It’s not an easy place to catch fly balls,” said interim manager Grady Sizemore on Lopez’s dropped popup. “It’s nice to be on the other side of those breaks for a change.”
A New Era of Comebacks?
Then the bullpen that’s blown a Major League-leading 31 saves this season, held it together. Justin Anderson struck out Pillar before getting Logan O’Hoppe to line out to deep left field. With two outs, Moniak walked, but Anderson got Wagaman to ground out back to him on the mound to end the game.
“It’s a good feeling to get a break to go our way. Haven’t had too many of those,” Sizemore said. “Just guys did a good job of keeping it close and fighting until the end.”
Stat Pack
Cannon pitched a gem for the White Sox, tossing 6.0 innings of shutout baseball where he gave up three hits and one walk, while striking out seven. “I thought it was good,” Cannon said about his start. “I didn’t think I had my best stuff, but I thought I was able to execute when I needed to—make a lot of really quality pitches and get ahead of a lot of guys and just limit the free passes.”
Benintendi paced the White Sox at the plate, going 2-4 with what amounted to driving in the game-winning run in the eighth inning. “It felt good. I don’t think everybody knows that,” Benintendi said after the game. “First comeback win being this late in the season, [it’s] hard to believe. But [I’m] glad we got it done tonight.”
Up Next
The Chicago White Sox will once more try to stave off history Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels. First pitch at Guaranteed Rate Field is set for 6:40 p.m., where right-hander Davis Martin (0-5, 4.27 ERA) will face off against the left-handed Jose Suarez (1-2, 6.08 ERA).
Conclusion
The White Sox’ first comeback win of the season is a welcome change of pace for a team that’s struggled mightily. While it’s not going to turn the season around, it’s a glimmer of hope for a team that’s been in dire need of a pick-me-up.
FAQs
Q: How many games has the White Sox lost this season?
A: The White Sox have lost 120 games this season, tying the post-1900 record held by the 1962 expansion New York Mets.
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The White Sox defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-2.
Q: Who was the hero of the game?
A: Andrew Benintendi drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning to give the White Sox their first comeback win of the season.
