White Sox swap leads but drop game, series to Phillies 9-5

PHILADELPHIA — The high-powered Phillies’ offense overpowered White Sox pitchers Sunday afternoon to take the back-and-forth series rubber match 9-5, for a disappointing end to a weekend that saw the Sox go toe-to-toe with baseball’s hottest team over the past month.

The Phillies pounced for a first-inning lead against Sox opener Tyler Gilbert with back-to-back doubles from Trea Turner and Bryce Harper, but the Sox responded the next inning with a sacrifice fly from catcher Drew Romo and an RBI single from Sam Antonacci to take the lead,

Phillies catcher Rafael Marchán snagged it right back with a two-run homer off Sox bulk thrower David Sandlin. The teams traded leads over the next few innings with an RBI double from Tristan Peters, Brandon Marsh’s third home run of the series for the Phils and a pinch-hit, two-run single from the Sox’ Randal Grichuk.

The rookie Sandlin gave up three runs on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 3 ⅓ innings, but the Phillies took control with three runs in the fifth inning off Sox reliever Tyler Davis and another pair off Bryan Hudson in the bottom of the sixth. That was after pinch-hitting catcher Edgar Quero fell just a few feet short of a go-ahead, three-run homer that instead was hauled in by Marsh.

The Munetaka Murakami-less Sox kept it reasonably close in their three-game set, outscored 20-17 by the Phillies in a respectable start to their most challenging stretch of the schedule yet. The Braves, Dodgers and Yankees are up next.

“Good stuff from our offense,” manager Will Venable said. “Just got to continue to limit the walks and find a way to get some zeros.”

Antonacci stayed in the game after getting hit on the arm by a 99.6-mph sinker from Jose Alvarado, his MLB-leading 15th plunking.

Davis delayed

Venable said ace Davis Martin wouldn’t make his scheduled start Tuesday at home against the Braves “just to give him a little extra rest to make sure that he’s in a good spot and feeling good.”

Erick Fedde will take the bump instead, but the other pitching matchups for the homestand haven’t been announced.

High-flying outfielders

The rookie outfielders Antonacci and Peters put on a defensive clinic over the weekend in Philadelphia.

Antonacci, a natural infielder who has looked increasingly comfortable since shifting to left field this year, made an impressive leaping catch at the wall Friday night on a deep drive from Bryson Stott, a few innings after Peters made a diving catch on a sprint to steal a tailing liner off the bat of Turner.

The former Savannah Banana Peters robbed Harper and Marsh of extra bases with running catches near the wall late in Sunday’s game, too.

“It’s been impressive, and we’ve seen it in a bunch of different ways,” Venable said of Antonacci. “Cutting balls off, a lot of the dives in front… He’s just continuing to have plays in which he’s learning, growing and continuing to getting better.”

The same goes for Peters, whose glove earned him a roster spot out of spring training, but whose surprising bat (.307/.365/.448) has locked down an everyday role in center.

“He just continues to make plays for us,” Venable said. “It’s really as simple as that.”

Injury updates

Catcher Kyle Teel has ramped up his baseball activities while traveling with the team as he recovers from the knee injury delaying his 2026 debut. The prized backstop is sprinting and hitting off a tee, but he’s not up to full speed on catching drills and still doesn’t have a timeline for getting back on the field.

“I want to be out there with the team,” Teel said. “The success the team’s having is great, and I’m just grinding every day with the idea in my head that I’m gonna contribute when I’m back. That’s what really motivates me every single day.”

Rookie starter Noah Schultz (right knee patellar tendinitis) is “making good progress” on his way back from the right knee patellar tendinitis that sidelined him after Memorial Day and is scheduled to throw another bullpen session this week, Venable said.

And outfielder Everson Pereira (pectoral strain) looks like he could be back with the Sox soon. He slugged a two-run homer in his second game of a Charlotte rehab assignment Saturday.