{"id":2479819,"date":"2026-06-29T01:53:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T01:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2479819"},"modified":"2026-06-29T01:53:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T01:53:14","slug":"white-sox-fall-into-first-place-tie-after-loss-to-royals-but-they-head-to-east-coast-flying-high","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/white-sox-fall-into-first-place-tie-after-loss-to-royals-but-they-head-to-east-coast-flying-high\/","title":{"rendered":"White Sox fall into first-place tie after loss to Royals, but they head to East Coast flying high"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The White Sox<\/u><\/a> couldn\u2019t muster any ninth-inning heroics to make up for starter Anthony Kay\u2019s struggles Sunday, as they dropped their series finale against the Royals 5-4.<\/p>\n

But the Sox had already clinched their franchise-record 10th consecutive home series win during a 4-2 homestand ahead of another important seven-game East Coast road trip.<\/p>\n

Then again, they\u2019re all big trips these days for a squad getting used to life at the top of the American League Central, where the Sox fell into a tie for first place, thanks to the Guardians\u2019 comeback win over the Mariners.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a position few outside the home clubhouse at Rate Field ever expected to find the Sox in with June drawing<\/a> to a close.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, we have been playing really good baseball, especially at home,\u201d said third baseman Miguel Vargas, who bolstered his All-Star case with a home run and a double. \u201cAll the fans have been showing up, and we feel the energy. It\u2019s easy for us to go out there every day in that atmosphere and win baseball games.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a back-and-forth afternoon this time around for the Sox and Kay, who found himself in a 1-0 hole in the first inning after Carter Jensen\u2019s RBI single.<\/p>\n

Vargas responded in the bottom half with his 19th home run of the season, a two-run shot off starter Luinder Avila that put Vargas in a tie for the second-most dingers among MLB third basemen.<\/p>\n

But Kay hit a batter and Colson Montgomery misplayed an easy grounder to short to set up Lane Thomas\u2019 game-tying single in the second. A wild pitch advanced two baserunners before Bobby Witt Jr.\u2019s sacrifice fly put the Royals ahead.<\/p>\n

The Sox took the lead right back in the second after Antonacci started a two-out rally with a single. He advanced on Vargas\u2019 double, and they both scored on Kyle Teel\u2019s broken-bat single to left.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis group of guys have been bringing a lot of energy and joy to the clubhouse, and for me, I just want to be part of it and enjoy the game,\u201d Vargas said.<\/p>\n

But the Royals tied it back up in the third when right fielder Braden Montgomery\u2019s dive came up short on Isaac Collins\u2019 two-out bloop RBI double. Then Jensen\u2019s two-out double in the fourth scored Witt Jr. and prompted manager Will Venable to give Kay the hook.<\/p>\n

After two solid outings against the Royals earlier this season, Kay gave up five runs, seven hits and a walk in 3\u2154 innings with two strikeouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis time, it was almost a completely different lineup with all the injuries they\u2019ve had,\u201d Kay said. \u201cJust me not getting ahead against a lot of those guys kind of led to them having success.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sox\u2019 budding Montgomery connection kept the game within reach in the seventh, when Starling Marte tried to stretch his single to right into a double. Braden lasered a throw to Colson for the out at second.<\/p>\n

Jacob Gonzalez, who walked off the Royals a day earlier, nearly legged out an infield single to keep the Sox alive in the ninth but couldn\u2019t beat the throw from pitcher Alex Lange.<\/p>\n

In lieu of walk-off fireworks, Venable said confidence was high heading into his team\u2019s next tests: three games against the wild-card-contending Orioles and a four-game showdown with the class of the division in Cleveland.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found a lot of ways to win close games,\u201d Venable said. \u201cWe continue to play well at home, against divisional opponents. We love to see it. A couple out there, maybe we could have got, but even those were hard-fought games, and tough ones. Just really happy with where the club is at.\u201d<\/p>\n

On deck<\/h3>\n

SOX AT ORIOLES<\/b><\/p>\n

Monday:<\/b> Sean Burke (5-4, 3.71 ERA) vs. Shane Baz (4-8, 4.31), 5:35 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.<\/p>\n

Tuesday:<\/b> Erick Fedde (2-6, 4.34) vs. Trey Gibson (1-2, 5.64), 5:35 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.<\/p>\n

Wednesday:<\/b> TBA vs. TBA, 11:35 a.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.<\/p>\n

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An \u201celectric outing\u201d got the Sox\u2019 prized second-year righty back on track against the Royals. <\/p>\n

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