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CLEVELAND — Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas capped an epic 10-pitch at-bat with a three-run home run to left field in the fifth inning Friday against the Cleveland Guardians.
A lengthy rain delay followed.
When play resumed, the Sox saw the lead float away in an eventual 4-3 loss in 10 innings in front of 33,646 at Progressive Field.
Kahlil Watson delivered the game-winning hit, driving in Steven Kwan with a single as the Sox suffered their second consecutive walk-off defeat.
“It’s a tough one,” manager Will Venable said. “You have to find a way to score more runs. These guys are battling, they have a really good bullpen, they did a good job, so credit to them.
“It’s tough to score against them, it’s tough to keep them from scoring. There’s a lot of little plays here and there. Pitches here and there on both sides that really made a difference.”
The Sox (45-42) have dropped the first two of the four-game series. They fell out of a first-place tie and now trail the Guardians (47-42) by one game in the American League Central.
“It’s tough, but we’ve got another one tomorrow we’re going to bounce back and go right after them,” Sox starter Anthony Kay said.
Kay allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks in four innings. The one run came in the third on an RBI single by Travis Bazzana.
The Sox rallied in the fifth. Batting with two on and two outs, Vargas got behind in the count 0-2 against Guardians starter Gavin Williams.
He took a ball and then fouled off three pitches — two that were clocked at 100 mph.
Vargas took a sweeper for another ball, fouled off a sweeper and laid off a sweeper in the dirt to work the count full.
On the 10th pitch, Vargas launched a three-run homer over the left-field wall.
“Just looking for a strike,” Vargas said. “Just trying to drive the runner home and I got lucky on a good pitch.”
The home run came just before a 1-hour, 55-minute rain delay. When play picked back up, both teams had to utilize their bullpens.
“I was hoping to go six, seven, eight innings, give the bullpen some help,” Kay said of being unable to return after the delay. “But I think they kind of messed around with the tarp a little bit. We probably had at least 20 to 30 minutes of light rain that we could have played through. But the second that Vargas hit that home run they pulled the tarp and so there definitely was some bulls— on their part to kind of get me out of the game.
“It’s pretty messed up for them to do something like that and get me out of the game that way.”
Kay had thrown 48 pitches.
“I don’t even think he was finished rounding the bases when they pulled the tarp out.,” Kay said. “There was definitely some gamesmanship by them on that. I don’t think it was right for them to do that, but it is what it is.”
Sox reliever Seranthony Domínguez walked two batters during the seventh inning.
“The leadoff walk there (to Rhys Hoskins) and I think (with one out) he struck out (Brayan) Rochhio (but) we weren’t able to challenge,” Venable said. “I understand that, that’s a tough job for (catcher) Kyle (Teel) on a tough pitch that’s really close. … Ser I thought was better than what the line will show with that second walk there where he had the strikeout.
“We’ll keep searching and make sure he continues to pound the zone and be effective as he can.”
Bryan Hudson entered with two on and one out. He struck out pinch hitter Daniel Schneemann.
Austin Hedges then hit a grounder that shortstop Colson Montgomery couldn’t field cleanly during a backhanded attempt in the grass. Hoskins scored from second on the hit to cut the Sox lead to 3-2.
Steven Kwan then drove in the tying run in Rochhio with a single to left field which Antonacci had a tough time corralling.
“With Colson, just deep into the grass there, wasn’t able to stop that ball from getting by him,” Venable said. “And then Sammy, that’s where they dumped all the water. It was a mess out there. He’s coming in hard, trying to make a play and got by him.”
The score remained that way through nine. In the 10th, the automatic runner Kwan advanced to third on a single by Travis Bazzana. Watson followed with the game-winning single to center through a drawn-in infield.
Rochhio hit the walk-off two-run homer in the ninth on Thursday. Friday, it was Watson’s single in the 10th.
“It’s not the way we want to come here and start the series,” Vargas said. “I think we are playing two really good games and sometimes that’s how baseball works.
“We’ve been doing that a lot during the year. Being on this side now really sucks, but we are playing really good baseball and that’s all we can ask for.”
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A lengthy rain delay followed.
When play resumed, the Sox saw the lead float away in an eventual 4-3 loss in 10 innings in front of 33,646 at Progressive Field.
Kahlil Watson delivered the game-winning hit, driving in Steven Kwan with a single as the Sox suffered their second consecutive walk-off defeat.
“It’s a tough one,” manager Will Venable said. “You have to find a way to score more runs. These guys are battling, they have a really good bullpen, they did a good job, so credit to them.
“It’s tough to score against them, it’s tough to keep them from scoring. There’s a lot of little plays here and there. Pitches here and there on both sides that really made a difference.”
The Sox (45-42) have dropped the first two of the four-game series. They fell out of a first-place tie and now trail the Guardians (47-42) by one game in the American League Central.
“It’s tough, but we’ve got another one tomorrow we’re going to bounce back and go right after them,” Sox starter Anthony Kay said.
Kay allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks in four innings. The one run came in the third on an RBI single by Travis Bazzana.
The Sox rallied in the fifth. Batting with two on and two outs, Vargas got behind in the count 0-2 against Guardians starter Gavin Williams.
He took a ball and then fouled off three pitches — two that were clocked at 100 mph.
Vargas took a sweeper for another ball, fouled off a sweeper and laid off a sweeper in the dirt to work the count full.
On the 10th pitch, Vargas launched a three-run homer over the left-field wall.
“Just looking for a strike,” Vargas said. “Just trying to drive the runner home and I got lucky on a good pitch.”
The home run came just before a 1-hour, 55-minute rain delay. When play picked back up, both teams had to utilize their bullpens.
“I was hoping to go six, seven, eight innings, give the bullpen some help,” Kay said of being unable to return after the delay. “But I think they kind of messed around with the tarp a little bit. We probably had at least 20 to 30 minutes of light rain that we could have played through. But the second that Vargas hit that home run they pulled the tarp and so there definitely was some bulls— on their part to kind of get me out of the game.
“It’s pretty messed up for them to do something like that and get me out of the game that way.”
Kay had thrown 48 pitches.
“I don’t even think he was finished rounding the bases when they pulled the tarp out.,” Kay said. “There was definitely some gamesmanship by them on that. I don’t think it was right for them to do that, but it is what it is.”
Sox reliever Seranthony Domínguez walked two batters during the seventh inning.
“The leadoff walk there (to Rhys Hoskins) and I think (with one out) he struck out (Brayan) Rochhio (but) we weren’t able to challenge,” Venable said. “I understand that, that’s a tough job for (catcher) Kyle (Teel) on a tough pitch that’s really close. … Ser I thought was better than what the line will show with that second walk there where he had the strikeout.
“We’ll keep searching and make sure he continues to pound the zone and be effective as he can.”
Bryan Hudson entered with two on and one out. He struck out pinch hitter Daniel Schneemann.
Austin Hedges then hit a grounder that shortstop Colson Montgomery couldn’t field cleanly during a backhanded attempt in the grass. Hoskins scored from second on the hit to cut the Sox lead to 3-2.
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Steven Kwan then drove in the tying run in Rochhio with a single to left field which Antonacci had a tough time corralling.
“With Colson, just deep into the grass there, wasn’t able to stop that ball from getting by him,” Venable said. “And then Sammy, that’s where they dumped all the water. It was a mess out there. He’s coming in hard, trying to make a play and got by him.”
The score remained that way through nine. In the 10th, the automatic runner Kwan advanced to third on a single by Travis Bazzana. Watson followed with the game-winning single to center through a drawn-in infield.
Rochhio hit the walk-off two-run homer in the ninth on Thursday. Friday, it was Watson’s single in the 10th.
“It’s not the way we want to come here and start the series,” Vargas said. “I think we are playing two really good games and sometimes that’s how baseball works.
“We’ve been doing that a lot during the year. Being on this side now really sucks, but we are playing really good baseball and that’s all we can ask for.”
Continue reading...
