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White Sox use another late flourish to walk off the Mets again, turning Nolan McLean’s start into a loss
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Aug 23, 5:58 PM EDT

White Sox use another late flourish to walk off the Mets again, turning Nolan McLean’s start into a loss

Kodai Senga surrendered a late homer as New York lost once more on a dramatic finish, a pattern that has followed the White Sox when games tighten.

The Mets were in position to win once again, only to watch it slip away in the final moments as the White Sox delivered another walk-off outcome. In the late inning swing described in the account, Kodai Senga gave up the decisive late homer, and New York was unable to recover. The result left the Mets with yet another game that ended in disappointment after encouraging earlier work.

A central piece of the Mets’ case for a better ending was Nolan McLean’s performance on the mound. The report characterizes McLean as providing a strong start, but it also emphasizes the Mets’ inability to convert that early momentum into a complete result. Even with McLean setting a foundation, the Mets could not hold the margin once the White Sox found their way back to the plate.

For the White Sox, the theme in this game is as clear as it is uncomfortable for their opponent. The article frames the outcome as part of a growing reputation for dramatic finishes against the Mets, suggesting New York has seen a recurring pattern of late opportunities turning into immediate, walk-off results. Whether the late runs come from a timely swing or a sequence of at-bats that breaks open an inning, the key point is that the Mets have been unable to close the door late.

Senga’s role in the finish is the fulcrum of the story. He was credited with surrendering a late homer, the kind of pitch-to-contact moment that can erase an opponent’s earlier advantage quickly. In MLB, those late blows often carry outsized consequences because the margin for error is thin, and once the ball leaves the yard in the final stretch, the game can become over before the next inning even begins.

What makes this loss linger for New York is the contrast between the Mets’ earlier steadiness and what came after. McLean’s start is described as strong, implying the Mets had a chance to win in a more controlled fashion. Instead, the late sequence shifted the game’s outcome in a matter of pitches, leaving the team to absorb the full weight of a walk-off defeat.

From a broader perspective, the Mets have to contend with a late-game execution issue that goes beyond a single pitcher or a single inning. The report’s emphasis on “again” and “dramatics finishes” suggests this is not a one-off upset, but a recurring challenge in closing out tight games. The White Sox, for their part, have shown they can turn pressure into production when the stakes rise.

Why It Matters

  • Walk-off losses can swing momentum quickly in a long MLB season, especially when they occur repeatedly in close games.
  • When a team’s early pitching is strong but late pitching is punished, it highlights a specific area of risk that opponents can press.
  • A late-game reputation, even if developed in a limited set of matchups, can affect how opponents approach at-bats in the final innings.

Sources

Key Facts

  • The Mets lost to the White Sox on a walk-off finish.
  • Kodai Senga surrendered a late homer that proved decisive.
  • Nolan McLean was described as providing a strong start for New York.
  • The report characterizes the White Sox’s late success against the Mets as a developing pattern.