White Sox Fall Short of Sweep, But Prove They’re No Longer a Punchline

The White Sox were no-hit through seven innings by former teammate Garrett Crochet, gave up 12 baserunners, and managed just three hits—yet still brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth.

There are no moral victories in sports, but Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox showed just how far this White Sox team has come since last season. 

After setting a modern-day record with 121 losses in 2024, the White Sox remain the laughing stock of the MLB. So much so that Boston Red Sox announcer Dave O’Brien joked that their upcoming trip to Chicago “could be coming at the perfect time” because the “White Sox invent ways to lose games.”  

After setting a modern-day record with 121 losses in 2024, the White Sox have remained the laughingstock of Major League Baseball—so much so that Boston Red Sox announcer Dave O’Brien joked their upcoming trip to Chicago “could be coming at the perfect time” because the “White Sox invent ways to lose games.”

The White Sox responded by snapping their eight-game losing streak with a dominant 11-1 win on Friday, then followed it up with a come-from-behind, walk-off victory on Saturday to clinch their first series win of the season. While they came up just short of a sweep on Sunday, Will Venable’s squad managed to stay competitive in a game they had no business winning on paper.

With Crochet dealing through 7.1 innings, Chase Meidroth, who was one of the four players acquired for the White Sox former ace this offseason, broke up his no-hit bid with a sharply hit ground ball to left field. The single not only chased Crochet from the game after 96 pitches, but it also lit a spark under the White Sox, who were trailing by two runs at the time. 

Who else but Chase Meidroth! pic.twitter.com/1S2XryDDiV

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) April 13, 2025

Saturday’s walk-off hero, Brooks Baldwin, kept the rally alive with a base hit that moved Meidroth to third, setting the stage for Matt Thaiss to deliver an RBI single that brought the White Sox second baseman home.

Even after giving the run back in the top of the ninth inning, the White Sox continued to press. Andrew Vaughn kept the game alive with a two-out single off of Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, bringing the tying run to the plate before the comeback bid was snuffed out. 

When White Sox starter Martín Perez said that he believes that this White Sox team could be a contender, many were quick to brush him off. While the White Sox will likely not be playing meaningful games late in the season, like Perez suggested, his comments highlight a growing belief in the locker room that the White Sox can play with anyone in the league. 

“We are still fighting,” Baldwin told MLB.com after the game. “It doesn’t matter how many hits we have on the board, how many runs. We are still on the gas pedal from pitch 1 to the end.”  

Despite ranking 27th in the MLB in runs scored, 2025 White Sox have still managed to post a respectable -3 run differential, thanks in part to a feisty pitching staff headlined by Rule 5 draft pick Shane Smith. Smith went toe-to-toe with Crochet, tossing six strong innings of two-run ball while allowing just five hits, two walks, and striking out three.

This is no longer the 2024 White Sox. Venable’s squad plays sharper defense, shows a more disciplined approach at the plate, and, most importantly, carries a never-quit attitude.

“For us to be no-hit into the eighth inning by Crochet and in that inning, be able to get the go-ahead run to second base with one out then, again in the ninth inning, het the tying run to the plate, I thought it was a great day where you have to do a lot of things well in other parts of the game for that to happen,” Venable told reporters after Sunday’s loss. “Credit to our guys for hanging in there.”