After splitting four games with the White Sox, the Yankees will remain in town to take on the Cubs this weekend.
For manager Aaron Boone, the trip to Wrigley Field brings back one painful memory. It happened on what he said was “probably” his first visit.
Instead of a, um, friendly welcome, he got bonked in the head.
As an 8-year-old in 1981, he and brother Bret got to accompany their dad Bob on a Philadelphia Phillies trip. The boys were playing in the outfield prior to a game at Wrigley when things took a painful turn for Aaron.
“It was a day game, obviously,” he said. “I was out in the outfield probably, literally 20, 30 minutes before the game. Bret’s hitting fly balls with the fungo. He hits one, I lose it in the sun, it hits me in the head. I’m down, out — literally out. The Phillies, some of the bullpen guys are starting to come out. They think I’m messing around. I wasn’t.”
Boone recalled Keith Moreland carrying him to the trainer’s room and being told not to fall asleep. Boone had a concussion.
“I lost one in the sun, was down for the count as an 8-year-old and recovering in the training room 10 minutes before gametime.”
Walk it off
The White Sox recorded their second walk-off win in as many days and ninth on the season on Thursday, when Tristan Thompson drew a bases-loaded walk in the 11th inning to give them a 2-1 victory.
It’s the first time they’ve done that since June 3-4, 2023, against Detroit, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Stranding runners
Though the White Sox rank among the majors’ leaders in scoring, they didn’t take advantage of their opportunities the past four games.
They were 9 for 37 with runners in scoring position and left 26 on base in the series. On Thursday, they were 2 for 9 and stranded 10.