On Wednesday, the Chicago White Sox went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, stranding 8 runners on base and striking out a record 19 times. The White Sox dropped ALDS Game 3 to the Cleveland Guardians, 9-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field. Despite the blowout, the White Sox still lead the best-of-five series, 2-1, and will get another chance to clinch a playoff series at home on Thursday. However, before they take on that challenge, the team manager expressed confidence in his squad.
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“A hundred percent confidence. We’ve done it all year,” said manager Will Venable, per MLB Network. “We’ve been in tough spots where we haven’t played our best games. We’ve played good games. Whatever the result, these guys come back the next day. It’s really kind of been the story of our group— being able to bounce back no matter what happens.”
Two seasons ago, the White Sox finished the regular season with a 41-121 record. Last year, they went 60-102. Then Will Venable came and pulled the team out of their funk. Venable also revealed he used his experience as a basketball player to guide the team. The manager played college basketball at Princeton in 2005.
But on Wednesday, the White Sox fell short. After sweeping the Guardians in Cleveland, the South Side team lost its first chance to clinch its first playoff championship at home in 120 years, since 1906.
During the game, though the White Sox took a brief 1-0 lead, the Guardians broke through in the third. Bazzana walked, Rocchio singled, and Kwan’s RBI single tied the game. Then, pitching for Chicago, Smith loaded the bases again. Jo Adell tripled to bring Kwan, Ramirez, and DeLauter home. The Guardians took a 4-1 lead, and the White Sox never recovered. In the bottom half of the frame, Peters drove in a run-scoring double for the White Sox, chipping at Cleveland’s lead.
With the Guardians leading 5-2, the White Sox’s best chance at rallying came in the sixth when Braden Montgomery drew a walk with two outs. Then, Gaddis allowed back-to-back singles to Randal Grichuk and Colson Montgomery, loading the bases. A pitch struck Sam Antonacci, scoring the runner from third and keeping the bases loaded. With the score now at 5-3, the tying run was in scoring position, and Miguel Vargas was up next. But the White Sox third baseman lined out to end the inning.
The Guardians added two more runs to extend the lead, but the White Sox offense failed to make any more impact. Cleveland forced Game 4 on Chicago. In September, Chicago lost 12 of 17 games and dropped from the AL Central lead. Instead of earning a postseason bye, they were Wild Card contenders. However, that did not stop them from reaching the ALDS by sweeping the Houston Astros. Manager Venable believes that since they have done it once, the White Sox can do it again.