Sox Lose Again as Weather Plays a Trick

The White Sox faced the Cleveland Guardians in a game that turned into more than just baseball. Rain delayed play for almost two hours, but the real surprise came when the field crew pulled down a tarp right after a home run. The pitcher, Anthony Kay, said the tarp was taken too early and that it forced him out of the game. He felt the team’s staff had tried to stop play at an inconvenient moment. The Guardians’ pitcher, Miguel Vargas, hit a three‑run homer in the fifth inning to give his team a 3‑1 lead. As he rounded the bases, the tarp was lowered. Kay said they could have played through a light shower for 20 to 30 minutes, but the tarp was put down as soon as Vargas hit the ball. Kay felt this was unfair and a form of gamesmanship. The umpires were waiting for the rain to stop, but they waited until Vargas’ at‑bat finished before pulling the teams off. The Guardians had a chance to score in the seventh inning when the Sox’s closer, Seranthony Dominguez, walked two batters and struck one out. The Guardians tied the game with two singles.

The field was very wet, which made it hard for outfielders to catch balls. Austin Hedges hit a deep ball that rolled off the glove of Colson Montgomery, letting Rhys Hoskins score. Steven Kwan hit a single that bounced off Sam Antonacci’s glove, allowing Brayan Rocchio to score. The Sox manager, Will Venable, criticized the wet conditions and how it affected play. In the tenth inning, the Guardians scored two more runs. Sean Newcomb hit a single that allowed Steven Kwan to score, and then Kwan’s teammate, Kahlil Watson, hit a ball that scored another run. The game ended 4‑3 in favor of Cleveland. This loss was the Sox’s ninth straight defeat and moved them one game behind the Guardians in their division. Kay said they would try to win tomorrow.

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