Rockies 5, White Sox 4 (14 innings)
As if a nine-inning game isn’t miserable enough, we had 14 innings today
It seems like even though this game was so bad, it was so bad that it was good. It might actually be funny. There were a lot of highlight plays, and this was a long one, so grab your popcorn and let’s run through it.
The Rockies had two runs early on to start the game in the top of the second inning against Garrett Crochet, as Ryan McMahon and Elias Díaz started off the inning with back-to-back singles. McMahon was able to score on a balk, because that’s so White Sox. Michael Toglia singled, and Hunter Goodman had a sacrifice fly to score another run. Fortunately, Crochet was able to get out of it with just those two runs.
Andrew Vaughn cut the lead in half with a solo shot to start the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth inning, Luis Robert Jr. had a defensive gem on a leaping catch to potentially take a home run away and keep it a 2-1 ballgame.
Aside from the rough inning from Crochet, he still had a spectacular outing going seven innings with five hits, two runs, and 11 strikeouts. His ERA is now at 3.02.
The tying run didn’t come until the bottom of the seventh inning when Corey Julks and Lenyn Sosa had back-to-back singles, and Tommy Pham had a walk with two outs. Freeland would be pulled with the bases loaded and two outs, and overall it wasn’t a bad day for a now 7.94 ERA pitcher. Victor Vodnik replaced him on the bump, and gave up a game-tying walk to Vaughn. However we can get them in I guess!
This one went into extras, where you could really tell that two bad teams were playing against each other. Nobody wanted to win, and anytime anyone got close it was immediately shut down.
The Rockies scored their ghost runner run in the top of the tenth inning on a sacrifice fly from Goodman, but that would be all. Vaughn had a sacrifice fly of his own to tie it back up at 3-3 again, extending the game.
With all the chances in the world, the Rockies could not score a run in the top of the 11th or the top of the 12th, and neither could the team on the other side. This game is so funny that in the bottom of the 12th inning, Tommy Pham had what looked like a game-winning single with a runner on third, but instead a spectacular diving play was made in center field by Brenton Doyle. I’m going to show it because it’s a great play.
This one would go on into the 13th inning, and Michael Soroka would have to keep pitching. By this time, he had already gotten out of multiple jams, including a bases loaded one to keep it tied.
It looked like this one was going to the bottom of the inning without scoring, but with two outs Ezequiel Tovar came in clutch to score the run from second and take a 4-3 lead. Of course after so many great defensive plays, a broken-bat bloop single is what unties the game.
Approaching three hours, can you guess what tied it back up in the bottom of the 13th inning, a broken-bat bloop single by Luis Robert Jr. I mean you can’t make this stuff up. Eloy Jiménez snuck his third hit in of the day which could have either been a double play or up the middle. Luckily for us it was up the middle, and Jalen Beeks was in some trouble on the mound.
What do we all think happened next? Come on guys, let’s guess! Oh yeah, a double play by Paul DeJong to end the threat and take this to the 14th inning.
In the top of the 14th, McMahon scored on a sacrifice fly that was oh so close to being a double play on a play from Robert Jr. to the plate. Instead, it scored the Rockies 5th run of the game.
Benintendi can’t bunt, and can’t hit either, which secured the first out in the bottom of the inning instead of getting the runner over. Another defensive gem came from the Rockies on a ground ball from Lenyn Sosa for the second out, and Nicky Lopez grounded out to secure the brutal loss. You can’t even think about how you won a series after playing a game like this. Luckily there’s an off day so we don’t have to deal with this tomorrow. See you all on Monday for our favorite team, the Cleveland Guardians!
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 24-62, worst 86-game start in White Sox history (3 1⁄2 games ahead of the next-worst, 1948 White Sox)
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -162, tied for 42nd-worst 86-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 45-117 (.279)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 2 games behind
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 4 games behind
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 11 games ahead
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 7 1⁄2 games ahead
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 8 games behind
*record adjusted to a 162-game season