Getty Image / Melissa Tamez
Last season, the Chicago White Sox were the definition of average.
They spent nearly the entire season hovering around .500 and finished the season with a record of 81-81.
This season, they have unfortunately been well below average.
They entered their matchup today against the Detroit Tigers with a 24-35 record and one of the league’s worst ERAs.
The ending of today’s game was anything but average.
Despite their struggles throughout the year, the White Sox pitching staff put together a strong performance today.
They allowed just one run to the Tigers and that run came on a wild pitch in the 6th inning.
The Sox scored their only run of the first 9 innings on a Tigers wild pitch in the 4th inning.
The game ended up needing extra innings to be decided and that’s where things really got crazy.
The White Sox made it through the top of the inning without allowing a run, meaning they just needed a run to get the win.
Their first couple of batters didn’t get the job done, leaving them with a runner on 3rd and 2 outs.
The next batter was intentionally walked. Then the next was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
Tim Anderson came up next with a chance to win the game, but didn’t end up having to do much.
The first pitch of the at-bat was nowhere close to the strike zone and ended up hitting the home plate umpire in the face.
As the Tigers’ catcher checked on the umpire, the winning run crossed the plate for the Chicago White Sox.
The Tigers-White Sox game had a combined 3 runs, all the result of a wild pitch.
This was the first MLB game since 1920 in which at least 3 runs were scored, and all were either on a wild pitch or passed ball, per @EliasSports.pic.twitter.com/vtskh9nBT4
— ClutchPoints MLB (@ClutchpointsMLB) June 3, 2023
The White Sox will surely take wins however they can get them right now and this is certainly a unique way to put one in the win column.
It’s also the first time since 1920 that an MLB game has had all 3 of its runs scored on wild pitches.
Maybe this was what the White Sox needed to get themselves heading in the right direction.