White Sox score seven in ninth to stun Rays, end 10-game slide

 

[May 01, 2023]  Andrew Vaughn's walk-off three-run homer capped a seven-run ninth inning as the Chicago White Sox snapped their majors-worst 10-game losing streak with a 12-9 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

Down 9-5 heading into the ninth against reliever Jalen Beeks (0-2), Chicago gradually trimmed the lead and eventually tied it on Adam Haseley's RBI single before Vaughn rocked a 2-2 curve off Garrett Cleavinger deep to left for the comeback victory.

Chicago's Eloy Jimenez was 4-for-5 and Haseley went 4-for-5 with three runs, an RBI and a walk to account for eight hits in the team's 18-hit attack -- 15 of them singles. Yasmani Grandal added a home run.

Chicago began its rally in the ninth with RBIs via Jake Burger's double, Oscar Colas' sacrifice fly, Elvis Andrus' single before Haseley's game-tying single and Vaughn's blast.

Aaron Bummer (1-1) allowed two runs in the ninth but won for the first time this season.

Tampa Bay's Luke Raley went 2-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs. Taylor Walls was 4-for-5 with a homer, two runs, two RBIs and two stolen bases. Christian Bethancourt added a solo homer and two RBIs.

The White Sox took a 1-0 lead on Gavin Sheets' sacrifice fly in the first, but Tampa Bay used its power to go ahead in the fourth.

Off starter Mike Clevinger, Walls belted his fourth homer out to right. Raley followed five pitches later with a 431-foot blow to center for a 2-1 lead.

Apr 30, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn (25) runs the bases after hitting a game-winning three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

To open the bottom of the sixth, Jimenez singled through the left side against starter Drew Rasmussen. Grandal then clubbed a 3-1 cutter to center for his third homer to make it 3-2.

In the seventh, Chicago added a run with the bases loaded on an infield single by Jimenez, but the visitors matched it in their next at-bat when Isaac Paredes singled and right fielder Colas committed a fielding error that allowed Josh Lowe to come home.

With Walls on second with two outs after his second stolen base, Raley went to left-center for his seventh deep ball and a 5-4 advantage.

The next batter was Bethancourt, who greeted reliever Kendall Graveman with a 431-foot homer to center as the Rays hit back-to-back homers for the second time in the contest.

After Manuel Margot was hit by a pitch and stole second, more sloppy play by Chicago made it 7-4 when left fielder Romy Gonzalez dropped a routine fly ball.

--Field Level Media

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