Andrew Vaughn Leads The Charge To White Sox Sweep
Following a lackluster effort in Kansas City, there was a tangible shift in the White Sox’s attitude this weekend. Johnny Cueto challenged the White Sox, and they seemed to answer the bell.
The results in the box score speak for themselves—a three-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers. With the string of victories, the White Sox moved to three games over .500 for the first time since April 17th.
“We got some fire,” Andrew Vaughn responded in reference to Johnny Cueto’s Kansas City comments. “It was good.”
The former first-round pick led the charge all weekend. After recording three hits, including a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning on Saturday, Andrew Vaughn decided to deliver an encore performance on Saturday afternoon.
Vaughn produced the game-winning RBI for the second straight game despite being frustrated by the outcome of the at-bat. With runners at the corners and one out in the fifth inning, Vaugh smoked a 104.1 mph ground ball into the hole. Javier Baez ranged over and made a great play to begin a double-play relay. After receiving a perfect throw from Baez for the first out, Willie Castro relayed the ball to first to complete the double play. The ball beat Vaughn by a step and a half, so he slammed down his helmet in frustration, thinking he had hit into an inning-ending double play.
The only problem was Tiger’s first baseman, Kody Clemens, dropped the ball, and Vaughn was credited with an RBI fielder’s choice. Nobody in the ballpark was more surprised than Vaughn.
“That’s why the helmet was on the ground,” Vaughn told reporters. “I was running as fast as I could. I didn’t hear anything. Just trying to beat it out and didn’t think I did. I was frustrated in that situation, work on it all the time. Try to get the ball in the air.”
While Vaughn may not have been able to get the ball in the air in the fifth inning, he overcompensated for it in the eighth inning. He greeted Tigers reliever Willy Peralta with a home run to lead off the inning. The blast gave Vaughn his 13th home run of the year and a team-best 58th RBI.
ANDREW VAUGHN!#ChangeTheGame | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/CYTM6FZxVW
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 14, 2022
The 24-year-old has now reached base in 11 of his last 13 games. During that span, he is batting .380 with nine RBIs, three home runs, two doubles, and a triple.
Vaughn has been hitting the ball hard all season. He ranks in the top seven percent in the league in hard-hit percentage. Despite Vaughn barreling up the ball all season, the results have not always been there. Now all his hard contact is beginning to pay off.
Between Saturday’s go-ahead single with two outs in the seventh inning and Sunday’s insurance home run, Vaughn is developing a knack for dramatic moments.
It hasn’t gone unnoticed by manager Tony La Russa. “He showed us that last year. What happens between his ears is amazing. He’s been one of our best hitters with men in scoring position since he got his feet on the ground.”
Vaughn’s attributed his success with men on base to some adjustments he made during the offseason.
“My whole life I was pretty good at it,” Vaughn said. “Last year, I struggled with guys on base, two outs. I don’t think I got a guy in, which hurt me and hurt the team. This year I came in, simplify, and stick to my approach in those situations.”
The White Sox seems to be building at the right time. With the Astros rolling into town, it will be a true test to see if the White Sox have genuinely turned the corner or tricked us with fool’s gold once again.