White Sox
Neither the Chicago White Sox nor the Detroit Tigers have been among the biggest storylines in the 2023 MLB season. But the Al Central rivals teamed up to play a game without an equal, both in hits historic achievement and ending you have to see to believe.
The White Sox walked off the Tigers 2-1 at Guaranteed Rate Field, scoring each game on a wild pitch, which has never happened before in a game with three runs. Dylan Cease and Michael Lorenzen both had good games but each threw a wild pitch that allowed a runner to score. The 1-1 tie lasted until the bottom of the tenth inning, where the madness ensued.
As Jose Cisnero faced loaded bases with two outs, star shortstop Tim Anderson came to the plate. After hitting Jake Burger to load the bases following an intentional walk with an open base, Cisnero gave up another plunking — but it wasn't to Anderson. It was to home-plate umpire Corey Blaser. A fastball from Cisnero went way high, got past catcher Eric Haase and hit Blaser right in the face. The ball ricocheted far enough for Yoan Moncada to score the game-winning run.
The White Sox walk it off on a pitch that hits the umpire in the face. ⚾️😬
Jason Benetti and Steve Stone on the call for NBC Sports Chicago.
"What in the world did we just watch?" pic.twitter.com/i96iEb6j96
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 3, 2023
Blaser won't be working the Chicago-Detroit game on Sunday, according to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. He will be under evaluation as Alex MacKay steps in for him. A game ending in that fashion is just unheard of, even in the bizarre and unpredictable realm of America's pastime. The White Sox and Tigers' wild game brought out tons of jokes from fans.
"Not a bad strategy to win a ballgame. The old ‘try to murder the home plate umpire play’ converts at a very high %," joked sports betting content creator Joe Osborne.
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"Has there ever been a better ending to a White Sox game?" joked Chicago fan page Sox On 35th.
The Tigers, in the midst of another rough season, got clowned for losing the game in such a crazy fashion. But many White Sox fans had a laugh at their own team, too, which has been anything but predictable in recent years.
LMFAOOOOO THE TIGERS LOST ON A WALKOFF UMPIRE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT 😭😭
— gianni🦁 (@Clapped_Dre) June 3, 2023
Cameron Zunkel · 17 hours ago
Bryan Logan · 20 hours ago
Bryan Logan · 1 day ago
Nothing more emblematic of the 2023 White Sox than this game lmao
— (((Brady Surface))) (@sirfache) June 3, 2023
this is such a detroit tigers way to lose a game i’m so sorry tigers fans pic.twitter.com/eo0QkDZE4x
— Jordan Cicchelli 🪩 (@jordancicchelli) June 3, 2023
Andrew Benintendi tallied two hits for the White Sox and scored a run. For at least one game, weirdness in Chicago benefited the south-side team and its fans.