White Sox fight, rally falls short in latest loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Fans at Guaranteed Rate Field were on their feet as White Sox outfielder Gavin Sheets stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning Sunday.

Sheets grounded out to first baseman Jared Walsh.

A near-miraculous ninth-inning rally came up just short for the White Sox on Sunday as they lost 6-5 to the Angels at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Angels starter Michael Lorenzen kept the White Sox off the board through eight innings before they scored five times in the ninth to make it a nail-biter.

“We had a bunch of hits against a guy who really pitched well,” manager Tony La Russa said of Lorenzen. “Give him a lot of credit.

"What we did in the ninth inning was very special. Could have been real special. We took our shot.”

The Sox sent 11 batters to the plate in the ninth, eight of which reached via six hits, a walk and hit by pitch. Closer Raisel Iglesias took over for Lorenzen and was charged with two runs.

“We fought. We fought in the ninth,” outfielder Luis Robert said. “That’s a positive. We were able to come back in that ninth inning. It was good for us. 

“Even though we didn’t win the game, it was a good battle, and we know that we’re not passing a very good moment, but a game like today, the battle that we had in the ninth inning was good.”

Dallas Keuchel allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. He walked five batters for the second straight start (including Mike Trout intentionally), and just 40 of his 79 pitches were strikes.

Trout also hit a home run and double off him.

"I'm still kind of forcing things early instead of just letting the game flow," Keuchel said. "If I can clean that up as well, I'd be a lot better off moving forward.

"I like the way the ball is moving right now. I like the ball on the ground. Outside of the backup cutter to Trout in the first, I really felt like I commanded well. It was just a matter of taking advantage of early takes. 

"Outside of a few walks I'd like to have back, I really felt like I was getting some really weak contact."

For as close as they made things late, Sunday still was the Sox’ 11th loss over their last 13 games, dropping them to 8-13.

"Nothing surprises me with what we do as a team. As well as we have not played together, that was standard right there," Keuchel said of the rally. "We're battling and it doesn't mean if it's on offense or defense or pitching, we're in these ballgames.

"It's nice to see smiles and hits, instead of sadness and slumber waiting for the next day. I'd like to smile a little bit more and get some more wins."

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