Orioles escape on game-ending interference call
The Chicago White Sox are already the worst team in the major leagues, so they didn’t need this: their rally Thursday night against the Baltimore Orioles being cut short by a controversial and game-ending runner interference call.
The play resulted in a double play for the final outs in Baltimore’s 8-6 victory.
With two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Andrew Benintendi popped up. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson caught the ball — umpires had called the infield fly rule anyway — for the second out, then third-base umpire Junior Valentine ruled that Andrew Vaughn interfered with Henderson on the play.
“It was a big surprise,” said Vaughn, who was the runner at second and ruled out. “I don’t feel like he was deterred from making a play. It was a high pop-up. We were all reading it. As a runner, I’ve got to read it and make sure I can get back to the bag.”
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol argued vehemently with umpires at the conclusion of the stunning final sequence.
Brutal ending to this Orioles-White Sox game. 😬
(🎥: @NBCSWhiteSox)pic.twitter.com/mRL319faFT
— theScore (@theScore) May 24, 2024
There certainly was confusion, and the play ended the rally for the White Sox, who had scored four runs in the ninth.
“I felt like we escaped there,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said.
Crew chief Adrian Johnson said there is no discretion when a baserunner appears to make incidental contact with a fielder — even if the play results in a defensive out.
“If he hinders the fielder in the attempt to field a batted ball, intent is not required and it’s interference,” Johnson said after Valentine made the game-ending call. “When you see the interference, you call it.”
The White Sox, who have won only once in their past seven games, will try again to gain traction during their seven-game homestand that began Thursday night.
The Orioles halted a season-worst three-game losing streak by prevailing in the series opener.
“We’re able to breathe a little bit, thankfully,” said Baltimore’s Jorge Mateo, who hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning.
The Orioles produced 13 hits, four by first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.
“We swung the bat really well,” Hyde said. “A lot of guys who had been scuffling a little bit put some really good swings on the baseball. We would have loved to see us tack on a little bit more.”
Still, the eight runs were the most in a six-game stretch for Baltimore.
The six runs allowed by the Orioles were also notable. That matched the second-most scoring by an opponent this year in any of Baltimore’s 30 victories.
On Friday, right-hander Corbin Burnes (4-2, 2.56 ERA) will start for the Orioles, going for back-to-back victories after holding the Seattle Mariners without an earned run in six innings of Baltimore’s 6-3 win Sunday. He struck out 11 for the second time this season.
“I’m happy with how my stuff looks,” Burnes said. “Happy how the ball is coming out. Can’t really complain about it.”
Burnes has worked at least six innings in his past five starts, though this will mark just his second road assignment since April 20. He has made three career appearances against the White Sox, going 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA.
Among the negatives for the Orioles from Thursday night is that they used five relievers, including three in the ninth inning.
Right-hander Chris Flexen (2-4, 5.48 ERA) will be on the mound for Chicago, trying to bounce back from Sunday’s rough outing against the New York Yankees. He allowed seven runs on eight hits in four innings in Chicago’s 7-2 loss.
“It’s just about executing pitches,” Flexen said.
In three career starts against Baltimore, Flexen is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA. The loss came in August when he was a member of the Colorado Rockies.
Information from The Associated Press and Field Level Media was used in this report.
BALTIMORE — The Philadelphia Phillies expect to have star shortstop Trea Turner back Monday, according to manager Rob Thomson.
Thomson said Sunday that Turner would be activated the following day “unless something weird happens.” He hasn’t played since May 3 because of a left hamstring strain.
Turner hit .343 with 10 stolen bases in 33 games before going on the injured list.
The Phillies have kept right on rolling without him. They led the National League East by eight games entering Sunday’s series finale at Baltimore.
Philadelphia hosts San Diego on Monday in its first home game since June 5 — immediately before the team traveled to London for a couple of games against the New York Mets. The Phillies followed that trip with series at Boston and Baltimore.
“It seems like we’ve been gone for a month,” Thomson said.
Edmundo Sosa has played well in Turner’s absence. He hit his fifth homer of the season Saturday.
“He’s huge. I think for the last couple of years, probably the baseball world looked at him as a utility man. Now they’re looking at him like a shortstop,” Thomson said. “So his value is very high right now, as it should be because he’s played very well.”
Sosa figures to have a role going forward as an infield backup — and possibly in the outfield.
“If he’s not playing every day, there’s nothing wrong with getting him some outfield work,” Thomson said. “Just to see what it looks like, just to get him comfortable.”
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Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff Writer
CHICAGO — Veteran Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks will start Wednesday’s game against the Giants, the team announced Sunday.
It will be Hendricks’ first start since giving up eight runs in a May outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has made five relief appearances since then, including three scoreless ones this month.
“We’re down pitchers right now,” manager Craig Counsell said before announcing the move.
The Cubs lost two starters just this week, including Ben Brown to a neck injury and Jordan Wicks to an oblique strain. Wicks came out of Friday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals after 1⅔ innings, giving way to Hendricks who threw 4⅓ shutout innings in emergency duty.
Despite the 3-0 loss, that outing, along with several other recent ones, earned Hendricks another chance at starting.
“In a lot of ways, Kyle continues to impress you even though he’s had a tough go of it so far,” Counsell said. “He’s worried about the things he can control.”
Hendricks, 34, was demoted to the bullpen after struggling throughout his first seven starts of the season as his ERA ballooned to over 12.00. Those struggles led to speculation that the longest-tenured Cubs player might lose his roster spot, but pitching injuries have continued to pile up for Chicago, giving the right-hander more opportunities.
The team is also down relievers Yency Almonte, Julian Merryweather and Adbert Alzolay.
It’s unclear how long Hendricks will pitch against the Giants after spending the past month in the bullpen, but the Cubs are hopeful he will just continue to get outs as he is coming off arguably his best appearance of the season.
“Kyle pitched wonderfully,” Counsell said after Friday’s game. “Gave us a chance to win.”
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