Toglia Hits a Sacrifice Fly in the 14th Inning as the Rockies Top the White Sox 5-4

BY MATT CARLSON

CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan McMahon scored on Michael Toglia’s sacrifice fly in the 14th inning, and the Colorado Rockies stopped a five-game slide by topping the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday.

McMahon began the 14th on second as the automatic runner. He advanced on Sam Hillard’s sacrifice bunt.

Toglia then hit a flyball to center, and McMahon narrowly beat the throw home by center fielder Luis Robert Jr. The call on the field was upheld following a video review.

“That was a long one,” Toglia said. “You got to make sure you stay locked in there.”

Jalen Beeks (5-4) pitched two innings for the win in the Rockies’ longest game since September 2019. He retired the White Sox in order in the 14th to finally hand Colorado manager Bud Black a victory on his 67th birthday.

“It’s a big confidence builder,” Beeks said. “That was a grinder. We pitched well and good defense kept us in it late.”

The Rockies (28-55) got a big lift from Gold Glove center fielder Brenton Doyle, who made a terrific diving catch to rob Tommy Pham of a game-winning hit in the 12th. Doyle also made a leaping grab on Robert’s drive to the gap in right-center in the sixth, saving a run.

Chicago right-hander Michael Soroka (0-8) allowed two unearned runs and one hit in four innings in the team’s longest game since August 2019.

The White Sox (24-62) had won three in a row. They took two of three in the weekend series between the worst teams in baseball.

“It sucks to end up on the wrong side of a marathon like that,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “A lot of good things, a lot of opportunities. The pitching was phenomenal.”

White Sox starter Garrett Crochet struck out 11 in seven innings. He was charged with two runs and five hits.

The left-hander leads the majors with 141 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings. Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow is second with 136.

“I thought Crochet did a really good job of just pitching today,” Grifol said. “He started off with absolute great stuff. His fastball was really good.”

The Rockies jumped in front with two runs in the second. McMahon hit a leadoff single and scored on a Crochet balk. Hunter Goodman added a sacrifice fly.

“I was frustrated with the ball early on with the balk, was able to bounce back from that,” Crochet said.

Andrew Vaughn led off the fourth with his 10th homer for Chicago. He walked with the bases loaded in the seventh, tying it at 2. He also hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th.

Goodman’s second sacrifice fly of the game had lifted Colorado to a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th.

Colorado’s Elias Díaz had two hits, including a double, in his return after missing three weeks with a strained left calf. The catcher, who served as the designated hitter for his first game back, raised his team-leading batting average to .307.

Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland pitched 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball in his second start after missing 10 weeks with a left elbow strain.

Ezequiel Tovar’s bloop single just past Vaughn’s outstretched glove behind first in the 13th inning drove in automatic runner Brendan Rodgers to put the Rockies ahead 4-3. Robert hit a tying single in the bottom half for Chicago.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: To make room on Díaz on the roster, the Rockies designated INF Elehuris Montero for assignment.

UP NEXT

Rockies: LHP Austin Gomber (1-5, 4.63 ERA) takes the mound against Brewers RHP Bryse Wilson (5-3, 3.89 ERA) in Denver on Monday night.

White Sox: RHP Chris Flexen (2-7, 5.13 ERA) faces RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-6, 5.27 ERA) at Cleveland on Tuesday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB