The Chicago White Sox were in the midst of an incredible comeback after entering the bottom of the ninth inning trailing by six runs. They scored the winning run at home plate with one out.
Then he hit a rare double play.
With runners on first and second and one out, Andrew Benintendi hit a popup to Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, which was ruled an infield fly, marking the second out of the inning.
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Chicago White Sox manager Pedro Grifol (5) talks with an umpire after runner Andrew Vaughn was called out for interference and the game ended during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on May 23, 2024. Baltimore defeated Chicago, 8-6. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
The umpire then ruled that second base runner Andrew Vaughn had interfered with Henderson, and Vaughn was called out, ending the game and Chicago’s comeback.
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol emerged from the dugout and argued fruitlessly as the umpires walked off the field.
Crew chief Adrian Johnson said there is no room for discretion if a runner appears to make accidental contact with a fielder, even if the play results in a defensive out.
“If you interfere with a fielder trying to catch a batted ball, it doesn’t have to be intentional, but it’s interference,” Johnson said after third-base umpire Junior Valentine called the game off. “If we see interference, we’re going to call it interference.”
Pedro Grifol (5) of the Chicago White Sox argues with the umpires after a pop-out by White Sox’s Andrew Benintendi was ruled an unassisted double play due to interference by White Sox’s Andrew Vaughn during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on May 23, 2024. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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“I’m happy with the way they called the play. I just don’t like the rule,” Grifol added. “(Vaughn) did not intentionally make contact. He was not trying to interfere with Gunner catching the fly ball.”
“It’s definitely a big relief,” Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle acknowledged.
“We made a run out there,” coach Brandon Hyde added.
Chicago is 15-36 this year and things seem to continue to get worse. Chicago’s .294 winning percentage is the worst in baseball and good for the 18th-worst in modern baseball history (since 1900). The White Sox are on a 47-115 pace, ranking at or near the bottom in nearly every statistical category.
Baltimore Orioles players celebrate after defeating the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Kamil Krzaczynski/USA Today Sports)
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It was a big win for the Orioles, who had lost three straight and six of their previous nine games. The Orioles improved to 30-18.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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