BALTIMORE -- If the White Sox can't find a way to earn a postseason berth in 2022, they will certainly look back on this night as a game they had a great chance to win but let slip through their fingers.

Down to their last strike and trailing by one, the Orioles rallied for a dramatic game-tying homer from Kyle Stowers in the bottom of the ninth off White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, then won 4-3 in walk-off fashion in the 11th.

Facing reliever Jake Diekman, Orioles designated hitter Anthony Santander brought home Cedric Mullins with the game-winner on a long fly-ball single over the head of center fielder Luis Robert, who was playing shallow with no one out.

The walk-off hit sent the stunned White Sox to their sixth loss in the past eight games, and it wrapped up a crucial series setback to an opponent also fighting for an American League Wild Card spot.

"We got beat,” said manager Tony La Russa. “I got no thoughts beyond losing a game that was heartbreaking.

"We took our best at-bats. Didn't get a bunch of hits. Just couldn't add runs. We added a couple, tied it, and then we went ahead. Not anything wrong with the way we played today. Just got beat."

Chicago looked in a good position to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth as Hendriks recorded two quick outs before Stowers came to the plate. Then Adam Engel dropped a popup in foul territory down the third-base line that would have ended the game.

"I think I overran it [when] I watched [the] replay,” Engel said. “Just running towards the line, I think the ball came back a little bit on me and just didn't catch it.

"Ultimately, I should've made the play. My job is to come in and play solid defense, especially late in games, and that's a play I expect to make. Was the ball close to the wall? Not close enough for me to not make the play. Just got to squeeze that one."

Stowers then connected on a Hendriks 0-2 curveball and drove it over the right-center-field wall. It was the first homer Hendriks had conceded on an 0-2 count since 2018, snapping a 19-game save streak.

"It's not the best way [to end a game], especially being so close,” Hendriks said. “But that was completely on me with the pitch selection. It was a pitch that I very rarely throw in the zone, and unfortunately [I] hung that one and he got it.

“It's never a good feeling, especially in a game like today where we were grinding through. We were down and we were able to take that lead late. My job is to come in and close the door, and I wasn't able to do that today."

Hendriks said no blame should go to Engel for not making the catch in foul territory.

"At the end of the day, it was just a foul ball," Hendriks said. "I need to make a pitch. And I had him exactly where I wanted him to [be] and I didn't execute, and that's on me. It's not on anybody else. It's on me. Go back and attack tomorrow when we go home."

Andrew Vaughn homered on the first pitch of the game, and Lance Lynn struck out eight over six strong innings.

Third baseman Yoán Moncada continued to make spectacular plays on defense, but he came up holding his left hamstring after a play in the second inning. Moncada stayed in initially, though he eventually left the game in the fifth inning due to left hamstring tightness. He is listed as day to day.

More surprising was Robert staying in the game as he continues to battle through a painful bone bruise in his left hand. He swung and missed with one hand in the 11th on a strikeout against Orioles closer Félix Bautista.

Robert finished 0-for-5, ending his 14-game hit streak and his 15-game on-base streak. At his locker during postgame, Robert had his left hand wrapped for treatment.

"It hurts a lot,” Robert said via team interpreter Billy Russo. “I have a bad swing and then I have to deal with it. When I have a bad swing, it just hurt."

Did La Russa consider taking Robert out earlier in the game?

"No, because you see the three days when he gets [it] on the nose, he still belts it,” La Russa said. “He hit a long fly ball. A lot has to do with the pitcher he was facing at the end there. Who would look good against him?"

After the game, the skipper lamented about Robert’s one-handed swings at the end.

"I'd be concerned about getting him hurt, having a swing like that,” La Russa said. “We'll have to rethink that."