White Sox Still Eye Playoffs Despite Loss to Rockies
The Chicago White Sox faced a challenging start from pitcher Davis Martin, who mishandled a throw at first base. This error allowed the Colorado Rockies’ Jake McCarthy to reach base. Martin’s struggles continued, leading to a 9-6 loss at Rate Field in front of 31,938 fans. The defeat, coupled with the Cleveland Guardians’ 11-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals, ended the Sox’s chase for the American League Central title. They will now enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed, facing either the Texas Rangers or Houston Astros in a best-of-three AL wild-card series, beginning Tuesday.
Manager Will Venable expressed mixed feelings after the game. “Obviously don’t get the division, which is disappointing,” he said. “But at the same time it doesn’t take away from the fact that we’re just so proud of the group and we’re in a great spot.” The Guardians secured their third consecutive division title, gaining a first-round bye as the AL’s No. 2 seed. “You’ve got to give them some credit,” Venable acknowledged, highlighting their strong finish to the season.
The Sox’s game against the Rockies started poorly, with Martin conceding three runs (two earned) on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He faced seven batters, striking out one and walking another. “Didn’t do my job, didn’t set the tone, just all in all bad,” Martin commented on his performance.
Despite early setbacks, the Sox remained competitive. Brenton Doyle homered in the second inning to narrow the gap to 3-1. Both teams exchanged solo home runs in the third inning, with Hunter Goodman and Luisangel Acuña hitting for their respective teams. However, Ezequiel Tovar’s solo home run in the fourth further extended the Rockies’ lead.
The Sox had opportunities to close the gap but fell short. Randal Grichuk and Colson Montgomery missed key chances in the fifth and sixth innings. Murakami’s flyout ended the seventh with a runner on second, while a double play in the eighth halted another rally. Venable noted, “I think we’re a couple big knocks short of putting a couple across there,” yet praised the team’s competitive spirit.
The Rockies widened their lead in the ninth with a three-run homer from Goodman. Although Benintendi responded with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning, the Sox could not complete the comeback.
Third baseman Miguel Vargas emphasized the team’s focus on the upcoming playoffs. “We want to win the division, of course, but that’s not in our hands anymore,” he said. “Now we have to focus on the next thing.” Chase Meidroth echoed this sentiment, looking forward to the wild-card series. “There’s tough games kind of like this throughout the year and you can sit with it the night of, but come the next morning it’s a new day, a new opportunity,” Meidroth stated.