White Sox Fall 6-4 To Brewers As 3 Errors Outweigh 10 Hits

CHICAGO – Close losses have been a theme to begin the 2025 White Sox season, so it was fitting that April ended with another one.

After a tie game through seven innings, the Brewers scored three runs in the eighth to secure a 6-4 win over the White Sox Wednesday at Rate Field. With their 13th loss by one or two runs, the White Sox fell to 7-23 on the season.

The White Sox used an opener in the previous four games in an effort to help usual starters avoid the top of the order until later in the game. But with the way Shane Smith has been pitching, manager Will Venable stuck with the rookie right-hander to start Wednesday’s game.

Smith entered his sixth MLB start with a 2.30 ERA, the lowest by a White Sox pitcher in his first five career starts since Hector Santiago (1.82) in 2012-13 and Jose Quintana (1.86) in 2012. The former Rule 5 Draft pick was coming off an outing with five shutout innings and a career-high seven strikeouts against the Twins, and on Wednesday he faced his former organization.

"It's cool. Definitely want to throw well against everybody, but yeah, cool to see some faces,” Smith said. “I see the scout that signed me to the Brewers this week, so cool to connect with them. But on the field once you get in there, you're not really thinking about friendships.”

Smith wasn’t as sharp as usual, though. He gave up a leadoff double to Isaac Collins, who was driven in by a 100.7 mph RBI single by William Contreras off a sinker over the plate. The White Sox had a few chances to get out of the first inning with just one run allowed. Luis Robert Jr. attempted a sliding catch, but it deflected off his glove for a double by Sal Frelick.

In the next at-bat, third baseman Gage Workman – acquired Saturday in a trade with the Cubs and making his first start Wednesday – let a soft ground ball go under his glove for a fielding error. That allowed Contreras to score an unearned run and give the Brewers a 2-0 lead.

“I would say he’ll be the first one to tell you his stuff wasn’t very good today,” White Sox catcher Matt Thaiss said of Smith. “It’s going to happen. We had a talk after the first inning. For him to escape that first inning with two runs, it’s a testament to him and what he was able to do today.”

“He made some quality pitches toward that back half of that first inning. A lot of those times those starts can turn into five or six runs in the first or three innings and you are out. For him to keep us in it like he did was a great job. He gave us a chance to win tonight.”

Brewers starter Tobias Myers walked Joshua Palacios to begin the game, but he retired the next three batters, including striking out Robert on a slider and Andrew Vaughn on a fastball. The White Sox got to Myers in the second, though, beginning with a single up the middle by Miguel Vargas.

Lenyn Sosa scorched a single up the middle for the first run, and Joshua Palacios was hit by a pitch to tie the game 2-2 in the second. But the White Sox couldn’t capitalize on having the bases loaded as Robert grounded into a double play. It was a bit unlucky as he hit the ball with a 104.8 mph exit velocity. Myers’ day was done after two innings with two hits, two earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts.

Smith didn’t get any help from the defense again in the fourth. After giving up a single to Joey Ortiz, Andrew Benintendi made a fielding error that allowed him to advance to second. Smith gave up a single to Caleb Durbin in the next at-bat, followed by Vinny Capra sacrifice fly that brought in an unearned run for a 3-2 Brewers lead.

It wasn’t his best start of the season, but Smith kept the White Sox in the game after five innings with six hits, three runs, one earned run, three walks and four strikeouts.

“Shane did a good job, you know. Maybe not his sharpest night,” Venable said. “But our defense put him in a couple tough spots where he had to extend innings there and pitch there more than he probably wanted to in some of those innings. So yeah, we just gotta tighten up defensively behind him, and I thought Shane did a good job.”

Smith talked postgame about how he’d assess the start of his rookie season and what he’s learned.

"I think it's been solid,” Smith said. “I think there's a lot of stuff to work on, a lot of stuff to build on. Nobody really cares what you do in April compared to what you do in August. So that's kind of what I'm trying to build on, build on starts and stay consistent."

"My stuff is good enough. Once you try to do too much, I think that's when you get in trouble. I don't mean that like I'm better, but I just had a belief in myself before I got here and then once you kind of do it, you build on that belief and just keep doing the same stuff."

The White Sox built a two-out rally in the fifth, another sign that Robert may be heating up after a slow start. The center fielder singled to left field, then stole his 12th base of the season. Vaughn brought him in with a line drive, singling a hanging sweeper to right field and tying the game 3-3. After posting a .138 batting average in his first 23 games, Robert is on a five-game hit streak, including two hits Wednesday night. He’s also tied for second in MLB in stolen bases.

But more defensive mistakes and bullpen struggles led to the Brewers regaining the lead in the eighth as White Sox reliever Cam Booser walked William Contreras on five pitches to begin the inning.

Frelick bunted in the next at-bat, then advanced to second as Sosa’s throw to first flew off line. Sosa hesitated on his path to fielding the ball as he nearly collided with Contreras running to second. He wasn’t going to have time to get out Frelick at first, even with a good throw, so it was ruled a single and a throwing error.

Venable ran onto the field to discuss the play with the umpires, but it wasn’t changed. In the future, he wants Sosa to go get the ball.

“I thought maybe it was interference or obstruction,” Venable said. “I don't even know what it's called, but I thought Sosa had to deviate his path to the ball because of the baserunner, and just wanted to talk about it real quick, and they said that he didn't, and [it's] a play either way where you gotta field that ball and can't throw it away. So yeah, just wanted to check in.”

Contreras and Frelick quickly came into score as Jake Bauers drove the ball into the right-center field gap for a two RBI double, giving the Brewers a 5-3. Booser exited after allowing three earned runs and recording just one out. Milwaukee tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly from Caleb Durbin off of Jordan Leasure.

Vargas stayed hot with his third hit of the night in the eighth, roping an Abner Uribe sinker 99 mph to left field for an RBI. He’s now 12-for-26 during a seven-game hit streak.

“It's been really nice,” Venable said of Vargas. “You know, he's had the good approach and his ability to have plate discipline up there and swing at good pitches. He's done that from day one, and now making an impact moving some of those balls forward instead of fouling them off. He's really doing a great job at adjustments that he's obviously working for.”

Rookie catcher Edgar Quero pinch hit in the eight, representing the go-ahead run, but his 102 mph ground ball zipped to Capra to end the rally. The White Sox put runners on first and second in the ninth, but Vaughn couldn’t come through in the clutch, grounding out to end the game.

Milwaukee will go for the series sweep Thursday at 1:10 p.m. CT.

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