Cal Sports Report

Andrew Vaughn's Walk-Off 3-Run Homer Helps White Sox Snap 10-Game Losing Skid

The former Cal star's blast caps a seven-run rally in the the ninth vs. Tampa Bay.

Jeff Faraudo

The Chicago White Sox were on the doorstep of stretching their losing streak to 11 games for the first time since 1956 before Andrew Vaughn came to the rescue.

The former Cal star slugged a two-out, walk-off, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, capping a miraculous seven-run rally, and the White Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 12-9 on Sunday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Andrew Vaughn watches his walk-off home run leave the park.
Andrew Vaughn watches his home run leave the park / Photo by David Banks, USA Today

“That felt like a huge weight off our shoulders,” Vaughn said. “You know April showers bring May flowers, so here we go.”

The White Sox, underachieving at 8-21 after the victory, had lost 10 in a row. And they trailed 9-5 entering the ninth inning against Tampa Bay.

It was the team’s biggest ninth-inning comeback since it trailed 10-4 against Minnesota on Sept. 7, 2007, then won in extra innings.

Vaughn made sure this one ended in the ninth with his 407-foot blast to left field off reliever Garrett Cleavinger.

“I was just trying to put the ball in play,” Vaughn said. “We had great at-bats that inning, guys were getting on base, we were scoring runs and my sole purpose up there was to keep the line rolling.”

The White Sox won for the first time since April 18.

Vaughn, in his third season as a major leaguer, went 2-for-4 with a walk and his third home run of the season. The previous two came during the 10-game skid.

“Happy for Andrew and everybody in that inning who contributed,” said Adam Haseley, who had four hits. “It was a really cool moment.”

A moment that Vaughn only sort of remembered afterward.

He said he “blacked out” as he rounded the bases, but he knows he got a physical greeting from his teammates at home plate. “I'll have a nice little shiner tomorrow,” he said.

Cover photo of Andrew Vaughn celebrating his walk-off home run by David Banks, USA Today

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo

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Jeff Faraudo
JEFF FARAUDO

Jeff Faraudo was a sports writer for Bay Area daily newspapers since he was 17 years old, and was the Oakland Tribune's Cal beat writer for 24 years. He covered eight Final Fours, four NBA Finals and four Summer Olympics. 

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