Things got better for the White Sox on Friday before their dreadful season somehow got even worse when Garrett Crochette’s appeal at first base was thwarted in the third inning, allowing the Red Sox to steal home in a brutal twist.
It all started when Crochette made an error while catching a ground ball by Jarren Duran and trying to get the Red Sox outfielder at first base.
Crochette’s throw was just short of first baseman Andrew Vaughn, allowing Duran to advance to third base.
But then something strange started to happen.
The White Sox held a meeting on the mound. According to Sports IllustratedAnd when it was over, Crochette threw the ball back toward Vaughn in apparent appeal, perhaps trying to argue that Duran had never touched first base before swerving and charging toward second.
But the ball flew past Vaughn and Duran easily scored without the throw, giving Boston its second run of the inning.
“That’s what weak teams do,” NESN analyst Will Middlebrooks said after the upset.
Crochette’s first pitch slipped past Vaughn and scored Bobby Dalbec to give the Red Sox an early 2-1 lead.
Given the White Sox’s current trajectory, that streak could be disastrous.
Chicago has allowed the fewest runs in MLB this season (193), has the league’s worst team batting average (.216) and entered Friday’s game having lost its 14th straight game.
The White Sox have only managed to win 16 games, worst in the league, and are already more than 20 games behind in the AL Central Division.
But they got the better of the Red Sox in the sixth inning, scoring six straight runs on consecutive home runs by Gavin Sheets and Vaughn to beat the Red Sox, 7-2.
Crochet was the winning pitcher, striking out 10 batters and allowing just three hits over six innings, lowering his ERA to 3.33.
Still, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the White Sox gave the Red Sox another chance when Duke Ellis accidentally dropped a liner, allowing Boston’s Sedan Raffaella to reach first base.
But the sequence in the third frame will be the strangest of a strange season for the White Sox.
