3,000 strikeouts for Clayton Kershaw, infinite pain for White Sox as Dodgers walk it off 5-4

Historic night ends in predictable disaster for Chicago

It was a night that promised history and yet delivered a familiar dose of heartbreak to White Sox fans. While Clayton Kershaw etched his name into the annals of baseball history with his 3,000th career strikeout, Chicago once again perfected their signature move: blowing another close game.

The Good Guys took an early lead in the top of the first when, with one out, Austin Slater absolutely mashed a ball down the first baseline. Dodgers right fielder Andy Pages let it sail right through his legs, allowing Slater to reach third. Miguel Vargas grounded out, failing to score Slater, but Andrew Benintendi, bless his little $75 million heart, delivered an RBI single to right.

Edgar Quero (3-for-3 with a walk) followed with an infield single. The rally, however, fizzled when a terrific jump catch from Michael Conforto robbed Lenyn Sosa’s blast to left. A 1-0 lead. Ah, sweet, fleeting joy.

And just like that, poof, the lead was gone. In the bottom of the first, Will Smith decided to introduce himself to opener Brandon Eisert with a solo shot to left. Then, in the bottom of the second, Sean Burke came out and served up a 415-foot moonshot to Pages on the very first pitch. The Sox were now down 2-1. Because, of course, why hold a lead when you can give it right back?

But wait! In a moment of unexpected competence, Chicago put up a three-spot in the third. Chase Meidroth led off with a single, setting the stage for Slater to crush a two-run bomb to left.

Miguel Vargas then struck out for Kershaw’s 2,998th career K. Benintendi kept the line moving, though, with a double over Pages’ head – as Kershaw’s cutter wasn’t cutting very well. Quero, still making good contact, singled to plate Benintendi, giving the South Siders a 4-2 lead.

The middle innings were a dance of near-misses and milestones. Burke settled down, retiring the side in order in the fourth. Sosa became Kershaw’s 2,999th strikeout victim in the fifth. Burke navigated some traffic in the bottom of the frame, getting Shohei Ohtani to fly out and Tommy Edman to look at strike three after Hyeseong Kim led off with a base hit.

The top of the sixth brought the big moment. After a Michael A. Taylor one-out double, he tried to steal third, resulting in a scary collision with Max Muncy, who had to leave the game unable to put weight on his left leg.

The inning concluded with Kershaw making history, catching Vinny Capra — of all people —looking for his 3,000th career strikeout. The southpaw became only the 20th player ever to reach that milestone and just the third to do it all with one team. It was a truly historic moment, overshadowed only by the impending White Sox collapse.

Burke found himself in a bit of trouble in the bottom of the sixth, hitting Smith and then giving up a single to Freddie Freeman. But, credit where credit is due, he buckled down, getting Pages to fly out and striking out Enrique Hernández and Michael Conforto to escape the jam. The Dodgers threatened again in the seventh, with Edman and Ohtani singling, but Burke got Mookie Betts to fly out and Smith to bounce into a force out, keeping the 4-2 lead intact.

And just when you thought they might actually hold onto it...

Grant Taylor came in to relieve Burke in the bottom of the eighth, retiring the side in order on a tidy 12 pitches. All set for a clean ninth, right?

The bottom of the ninth began with Conforto singling. Then, Taylor, in a move that surely delighted White Sox fans everywhere with flashes of Michael Kopech dancing in their heads, completely lost his feel for the plate and surrendered back-to-back walks to Edman and Kim. The bases were now loaded with nobody out and Ohtani at the dish. What could possibly go wrong? Fortunately, Taylor did get Ohtani to ground into a force out, leaving runners at the corners with one down, but he drove in a tally all the same.

Skipper Will Venable called on Steven Wilson to limit the damage. Betts hit a sacrifice fly to bring home the tying run. Wilson then walked Smith, setting the stage for Freeman. And because a two-run lead in the ninth is apparently just a suggestion for this team, Freeman walked it off with a single to right, sealing the 5-4 Dodgers victory.

Another night, another close game, another blown lead. For the Chicago White Sox, it’s not just a loss; it’s a lifestyle.