Shaky defense hurts Sox vs. 'very tough' A's

CHICAGO -- The White Sox (71-51) should be very satisfied with winning three of four games from an Oakland squad that entered this series featuring a record 18 games above .500.

But even with that success in mind, and even with the team holding an 11 1/2-game lead over the Indians in the American League Central, the White Sox didn’t seem particularly thrilled following their 5-4 loss on Thursday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. It’s the sign of a group possessing lofty goals for the 2021 campaign, discussed by players back before Spring Training, and fielding a talented crew in seemingly almost every game.

• Box score

“We got the series win, which is always big,” said White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease, who allowed three runs over six innings, walking four and striking out five. “Any time you can beat a team that’s as talented as they are, it’s definitely something to build on. We just have to keep doing it.”

“They're very tough to play against,” said White Sox manager Tony La Russa of the A’s. “Every game was tough. The first one, the score was a little misleading, but the last three could have gone either way. Disappointed we didn't win the last one.”

Extra outs given by the White Sox ultimately made a difference, as the team finished the homestand with a 3-3 record in Chicago and a 1-0 mark in Dyersville, Iowa. In the seventh, with the game tied 3-3, Andrew Vaughn made a diving stop on an Elvis Andrus grounder far to his right at first base.

Vaughn’s throw from his knees was behind and slightly over the head of reliever Michael Kopech as the pitcher tried to cover first, giving Andrus an infield single to open the frame. It was an aggressive play by Vaughn, but one potentially handled by second baseman Cèsar Hernández if Vaughn had stayed near the bag.

Kopech (3-2) would have had a perfect inning if that tough play was made. Instead, Matt Olson connected for a two-run homer with two outs in the frame to give the A’s a two-run advantage. Thursday’s contest marked just the 12th at first base for Vaughn, who was projected at that defensive spot when first selected by the White Sox at third overall in the 2019 Draft.

“I talked to [Hernández] about [that play at first],” Vaughn said. “He was kind of playing toward the middle. It was hit softer, and my first move was to go get the ball. I just went to get it because the pitcher had been covering either way if I fielded it or [Hernández] fielded it, and I just made a bad throw."

During the fourth inning, with Mitch Moreland on first and one out, Matt Chapman hit a slow roller just to the right of Cease. Although Cease quickly got off the mound to make the play, he fell on his backside after gloving it and his throw to Vaughn was off the mark. Cease eventually issued back-to-back two-out walks, with the free pass to Tony Kemp forcing home a run.

“You can be upset in the moment, but come the next pitch, you have to be ready to go,” Cease said. “I kept us in it. So, it wasn’t the worst outing, but it wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t great.”

Oakland’s lead lasted until the fifth, when Eloy Jiménez drew a two-out walk from Cole Irvin (9-11) and Vaughn launched an 0-2 curveball for a two-run homer, giving Vaughn four homers and 10 RBIs in his last 12 starts. Chapman’s home run in the sixth tied the game, before Olson gave control to Oakland (69-53).

After Danny Mendick’s long fly ball to center in the eighth and Luis Robert’s long fly ball to center in the ninth just missed game-tying homers, the White Sox got one final chance. José Abreu hit a high fly ball to center off closer Lou Trivino, which Starling Marte looked to have lined up without much difficulty for the game’s final out. But the shortstop Andrus continued chasing the baseball, eventually colliding with Marte, knocking the ball loose and allowing Zack Collins to score from first.

Jiménez stood as the game-winning run at the plate, but hit the next pitch to Marte to end the game and the series. His drive had an exit velocity of 111.6 mph, which was the hardest-hit ball of the game, per Statcast, and had an expected batting average of .730.

“It was a good series,” Vaughn said. “We played hard every single game, and even played hard today and had a couple miscues and gave up a couple of homers and ended up losing. But we get on the plane and get to Tampa Bay tomorrow, and start a new one."