After a Munetaka Murakami three-run home run was the difference between a win and a loss for the Chicago White Sox against the Detroit Tigers , they would blow a six-run lead to the Tigers. The 11-8 loss marked arguably their worst of the season.
After a top of the first inning that saw a Detroit run score from second on a wild pitch from David Sandlin, the White Sox came roaring back against Tigers starter Andrew Sears.
The Tigers rookie wouldn't make it out of the first inning, as the White Sox would score six runs in the bottom half of the inning, capped off by a Colson Montgomery bases-clearing double. Ironically, all six runs were unearned due to two errors in that frame.
The Tigers would score a run in the top of the third on a Kevin McGonigle base hit. However, Miguel Vargas would hit a two-run home run to make it a six-run lead. It looked like the White Sox might cruise, but the lead quickly unraveled thanks to an injury, horrible pitching, and a stagnant offense.
The White Sox bullpen has been taxed a ton over the past month due to a lack of starting pitching depth. That's why it was so important for Sandlin to have a lengthy outing. Unfortunately, he did not.
In the fifth inning, Sandlin nearly blew the lead by himself. A leadoff walk, followed by two base hits, would load the bases for the AL Rookie of the Year frontrunner, McGonigle. At that point, Sandlin should've been taken out in favor of Hagen Smith. However, Sandlin would pitch to McGonigle, and it would be a disaster.
McGonigle jumped on the second pitch with a triple to the wall that would scratch across three runs of five runs he would let up. During that play, All-Star center fielder Tristan Peters collided with the outfield wall, leaving the game with a left shoulder/rib contusion.
The bullpen, which was doing so well before this game, was due for regression. They didn't just regress; they laid a giant egg that cost them the game. The Tigers would score nine unanswered runs to win the game. Meanwhile, the White Sox offense would record just one hit after the third inning.
This is the type of loss late in the season that a playoff team cannot afford to have. This is the type of loss that can end any momentum for a team in the race. With the Cleveland Guardians winning against the Athletics on Friday, the White Sox are now a game behind in the division, clinging to the final Wild Card spot by just one game.
The White Sox will attempt to save their division title hopes against the Tigers with Sean Burke on the mound facing Jackson Jobe .
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/whitesox/onsi as Takeaways After White Sox Blow 6-Run Lead to Tigers in Worst Loss of Season .
