The Chicago White Sox faced off against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday but fell short, losing 8-6 in a closely contested game that marked their third consecutive defeat.
Seattle began the scoring early in the first inning when first baseman Josh Naylor, notorious for his powerful hitting against the Sox, launched a two-run home run that traveled an impressive 450 feet. This set the tone as the Mariners continued to capitalize on poor pitching from Sox right-hander Jonathan Cannon, who had an especially tough outing.
Despite a shaky start, the White Sox were able to respond in the top of the second inning. Newcomer Curtis Mead, who recently joined the team via trade, made an immediate impact by hitting an opposite-field single that allowed Luis Robert Jr. to score. Robert himself showcased his defensive skills later on, making a diving catch to thwart a potential scoring opportunity for the Mariners.
Cannon’s struggles continued as he faced the bases loaded with MVP candidate Cal Raleigh at the plate. Raleigh’s timely two-run single added to the Sox’s woes, and Julio Rodriguez later hit a massive three-run homer off the left-field scoreboard, pushing Seattle’s lead to 7-1. Ultimately, Cannon left the game after just two innings, with seven runs charged against him.
As the game progressed, Andrew Benintendi drove in a run with an RBI single in the third inning, giving the Sox a glimmer of hope. However, the Mariners’ starter, George Kirby, effectively silenced the Sox bats until the seventh inning when Mike Tauchman ignited a rally with a two-run homer, followed by Lenyn Sosa’s solo shot, cutting the deficit to 7-5.
Seattle managed to extend their lead with a sac fly from Eugenio Suarez in the seventh, but the Sox made one last push in the ninth with a solo home run from veteran outfielder Michael A. Taylor. Despite having runners on base, their efforts fell short as the game concluded without the necessary runs to complete the comeback.
The White Sox are facing challenges but have shown resilience, particularly through the contributions of newcomers like Curtis Mead and the ongoing power displays from players such as Tauchman and Sosa. The team will look to build on these performances in their upcoming games.