Drew Romo Sprints Home on a Blown Throw and the White Sox Steal a Win From Seattle

CHICAGO , The moment matters more than the speed. That's what White Sox third base coach Justin Jirschele screamed down the line in the eighth inning Sunday, and it's exactly why the White Sox just took down the Mariners 2-1 at Rate Field. Drew Romo, a catcher who somehow keeps landing extra base hits (four hits since joining Chicago, three of them homers), was on third with one out. Miguel Vargas lofted a fly ball to left. Jirschele yelled two words: "Tag" and then "Go, go, go, go, go."

Left fielder Randy Arozarena tracked it down 243 feet away. The throw came in hot. It sailed over Cal Raleigh's head and into the outfield. Romo never stopped running. Just like that, the White Sox had their go-ahead run and, eventually, their series win over Seattle.

Fearless Baserunning Breaks Open a Tight Game

The Mariners were up 1-0 heading into the eighth, thanks to a dominant outing from starter Logan Gilbert. The right-hander had been nearly untouchable, allowing just one hit over six innings on 87 pitches. But Randal Grichuk led off the White Sox eighth with a solo homer off reliever Eduard Bazardo. Romo doubled to right. Sam Antonacci bunted him to third. Seattle walked Munetaka Murakami intentionally. Then Vargas put the ball in the air.

"Ball goes up, yell 'tag.' Told him, 'I'll stay with you,'" Jirschele said afterward. "I think I blacked out. Yeah, just continuing to communicate with those guys and trying to stay aggressive." That's the White Sox way right now: push every boundary, live with the consequences, and trust your teammates to make the right read. "We're gonna make mistakes, but we're making them at 100 mph and sometimes it burns us. But a lot of times it's paying off," said White Sox starter Davis Martin, who threw six solid innings with just one run allowed.

Martin and the Bullpen Shut It Down

Martin was nearly flawless through six frames, striking out nine and allowing only three hits over 105 pitches. He didn't give up anything in the first inning after that brutal 26-pitch stretch when Seattle scored its only run. His ERA dropped to 1.62. Bryan Hudson earned the victory with a scoreless eighth, his ERA now sitting at a minuscule 0.95. Closer Seranthony Domínguez got the ninth, though not without drama. He loaded the bases with one out before escaping with a popup and a ground out.

The White Sox are 19-21 now, in an AL Central where no team sits above .500. This scrappy, aggressive approach? It just beat one of the better teams in baseball on a Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.