When your team is 4-16 since the All-Star Game you just have to embrace all the wackiness that was Friday night in Philadelphia, where the White Sox won the dumbest, weirdest and just most fun game of 2019.
It started off pretty normal, as Jose Abreu launched a 2-run bomb in the third.
The Phillies cut the lead in half with a solo shot from outfielder Roman Quinn to start the bottom of the third.
Remember his name.
Ivan Nova was cruising along until the sixth inning, when he gave up a single and then a walk. He was taken out, replaced by Jace Fry and then a Tim Anderson error let the Phillies tie the game at two.
Luckily, the Phillies stranded runners at second and third with two outs. Then, the dumb began.
James McCann walked to leadoff the seventh and Ryan Goins had a sac-bunt, advancing the White Sox catcher to second base. With one out and the game tied at two, McCann was caught stealing third base.
Adam Engel struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Phillies took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh, but again they stranded more runners on base, as Aaron Bummer struck out Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto with the bases loaded.
Aaron Bummer, really damn good.
The White Sox once again had another scoring opportunity, as Yolmer Sanchez began the eighth with a triple. No way the White Sox blow this!
Ryan Cordell grounded out with the infield in, forcing Sanchez to stay at third. The White Sox then tried a suicide bunt, but Leury Garcia’s bunt attempt went foul on a 0-1 pitch and he eventually struck out. Tim Anderson lined out to right, wasting the leadoff triple.
The Phillies had the bases loaded with one out again in the bottom of the eighth inning, but they didn’t score any runs.
With two outs in the ninth inning and Eloy Jimenez at second base Goins fell behind 0-2, but worked a nine-pitch at-bat, ending with an infield single. Jimenez was almost tagged out at third base, as he ran from second on the slow grounder to Maikel Franco, who had to come in to field the ball.
Then, Matt Skole, who was just called up on Friday, tied the game with a single on a 0-2 count.
Realmuto was stranded at second base after his two-out double in the ninth. Off to extras!
The White Sox didn’t get a baserunner again until the 14th inning, while the Phillies got a walk in the 11th and in the 13th inning the Phillies lost the game.
Roman Quinn singled with one out in the 13th and then Abreu threw him out at second after pitcher Zach Eflin tried to put down a sac-bunt. So, two outs and Eflin is at first base following the fielder’s choice. It was a great throw by Abreu.
Jean Segura walks and the Phillies decide to pinch run for Eflin at second base with starting pitcher Vince Velasquez. Rhys Hoskins then fouled out to end the inning.
At this point the Phillies have run out of available pitchers, so Velasquez goes out to left field and Roman Quinn comes in to pitch.
The 14th inning was just hilarious.
Lefty Josh Osich comes in to pitch after Carson Fulmer left with a hamstring injury and he retired the side in order.
Then, nearly five hours after hitting a two-run HR, Abreu knocked in the game-winning run. But guess what, Velasquez, you know the pitcher who threw out Abreu in the 14th from left field, almost threw out Garcia at home too!
Garcia snuck across home plate and then Velasquez made yet another ridiculous play in the outfield to keep the deficit at one for the Phillies.
And the cherry on top? Roman Quinn struck out looking to end the game.
Baseball can be so dumb, yet that much more fun at the same time. This game was a perfect example.
