The Chicago White Sox’s nightmare season hit a new low on Thursday night.
The White Sox trailed the Baltimore Orioles 8-6 with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.
White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi was the potential go-ahead run at the plate with runners on first and second. Benintendi popped out to Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson with the infield fly rule in effect.
But instead of getting one more crack at a comeback victory, White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn, who was the runner at second base, got called out for interference.
What was shaping up to be an exciting finish ended in an utterly anti-climactic fashion.
John Schriffen goes off on umpires after a controversial finish to the Orioles/White Sox game.
"Adrian Johnson. As the crew chief, you gotta take over here. THAT CANNOT BE HOW THIS GAME ENDS…I don't even have any words right now. I'm at a loss and I'm trying to keep my job." pic.twitter.com/4HloneWWlU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 24, 2024
White Sox announcer John Schriffen couldn’t believe the umpires’ ruling. Schriffen called out crew chief Adrian Johnson for allowing the game to end on such a bizarre note.
“No, they can’t end the game like this! No way! Adrian Johnson, as the crew chief, you’ve got to take over here. That cannot be how this game ends,” said Schriffen.
Vaughn was penalized for seemingly just trying to head back to second base. Vaughn delayed Henderson momentarily, but didn’t seem to do it intentionally.
The White Sox had battled back from down 8-2 and had plated four runs in the ninth inning before the unassisted double play to end the contest.
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