Astros beat the Padres 4-3 in 10 innings after Jose Altuve was ejected in wild scene in the 9th

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Moments after Jose Altuve was ejected for taking off his left cleat and sock trying to prove a point, his replacement, Grae Kessinger scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and then made a sensational play at second base to seal the Houston Astros' wild 4-3 win against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.

Altuve grounded out to third for the final out of the ninth but insisted he had fouled the ball off his foot. In a crazy scene, he took off his cleat and sock, trying to show the umpires where the ball hit, which got him ejected by plate umpire Brennan Miller. Manager Joe Espada was tossed after continuing to argue.

“Sometimes you get hit somewhere in the hand and you take your batting glove to show you got hit. I was expecting to do the same thing,” Altuve said.

“It was going through my head that it can’t happen,” he added. “It’s the ninth inning, winning run on second base, I’m battling against a good pitcher, (Robert) Suarez, the closer, so I’m obviously trying to get a hit and drive the run in and win the game. I get a foul ball because it hit my foot and they just took it away from me. I don’t think that can happen. There are four guys on the field and you can see the change of direction on the ball. Just make the right call.”

Espada was still wound up afterward.

“It’s a foul ball,” the manager said. “You have to see the ball once he hits the foot, the flight of the ball. I don’t get it. I don’t understand. That’s twice this year. I have a lot of respect for the umpires. They work hard. But there are four out there. You have to be able to see it. They missed that call.”

Kessinger started the 10th as the automatic runner in place of Altuve, advanced on Yordan Alvarez’s groundout and scored on Kyle Tucker’s single to left off Adrian Morejon (2-2).

Astros reliever Héctor Neris loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 10th before getting Manny Machado to ground into a force play on a terrific backhanded stop by Kessinger, who flipped the ball to shortstop Jeremy Peña to end it.

It was Kessinger’s first game with the Astros since July 13.

“Right before he hit it, I was thinking he’s going to hit a ball up the middle and it’s going to hit off the mound, and that’s exactly what happened. But go catch it. That’s the job,” Kessinger said.

He figured he was going to get into the game after Altuve was tossed.

“As he started to untie his shoe, I started to grab my glove. I didn’t know if I was the one that was going to be going in, but I didn’t know what he was doing, but I was just getting ready,” Kessinger said.

The Padres twice rallied to tie the game, first at 2-2 on Machado's 27th homer with one out in the sixth and at 3-3 in the eighth when Fernando Tatis Jr. scored on Josh Hader's two-out wild pitch.

Hader (8-7) came on to boos and was called for a pitch clock violation. After a lengthy delay it was announced there was no violation. Hader then threw a wild pitch that brought in Tatis.

Hader was with the Padres from the 2022 trade deadline through last year before leaving as a free agent. He drew the ire of San Diego fans when he said late last season that he was reluctant to get more than three outs.

Neris earned his 18th save.

The Padres failed to add to their wild-card lead over Arizona and remained 3 1/2 games behind Los Angeles in the NL West.

Machado admired his 405-foot homer for several seconds, tossed his bat aside and gestured toward the Padres’ dugout as he began his trot.

Last week, Machado broke Nate Colbert’s 50-year-old club record of 163 homers and now has 165 in his six seasons with the Padres.

Hunter Brown had retired nine straight batters before Tatis hit a leadoff single two batters ahead of Machado.

The Astros took a 3-2 lead in the eventful eighth. Alvarez doubled into the right-center gap with one out, advanced on a balk by Jason Adams while Kyle Tucker was batting and scored on Adams' wild pitch that put Alex Bregman on with a walk.

The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Singles by Tucker and Bregman put runners on first and second before Jon Singleton lofted an opposite-field blooper to left for a run-scoring double. Jeremy Peña's groundout brought in Bregman.

Brown allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

King struck out seven in seven innings. He was charged with two runs and five hits.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Placed OF Ben Gamel on the 10-day injured list with a broken left leg three days after he ran into the wall at Angel Stadium while making a running catch. Gamel will be out indefinitely. C César Salazar was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land.

Padres: Luis Arraez was back at DH despite jamming a knee into home plate while being thrown out Monday night.

UP NEXT

Astros LHP Framber Valdez (14-6, 2.91 ERA) and Padres RHP Dylan Cease (13-11, 3.58 ERA) are scheduled to start on Wednesday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, center, celebrates with teammate third baseman Grae Kessinger after the Astros defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 in a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) celebrates with right fielder Jason Heyward after the Astros defeated the San Diego Padres 4-3 in a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez, right, runs into San Diego Padres relief pitcher Jason Adam, center, as he scores off a wild pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Jurickson Profar reacts after getting hit by a pitch during the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado throws to first too late as Houston Astros' Jose Altuve arrives for a single during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve moves away from a high pitch while batting during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada, center, argues with home plate umpire Brennan Miller, right, as second baseman Jose Altuve looks on during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. Espada and Altuve were ejected after arguing a groundout by Altuve was fouled off his foot. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve reacts towards home plate umpire Brennan Miller, right, after taking his sock and shoe off during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. Altuve was ejected along with Astros manager Joe Espada after arguing a groundout by Altuve was fouled off his foot. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve points at his foot after taking his sock and shoe off during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. Altuve was ejected along with Astros manager Joe Espada after arguing a groundout by Altuve was fouled off his foot. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve points at his foot after taking his sock and shoe off during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. Altuve was ejected along with Astros manager Joe Espada after arguing a groundout by Altuve was fouled off his foot. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Houston Astros' Jon Singleton celebrates his RBI double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado tips his hat to the crowd after receiving memorabilia to honor breaking the team record for all-time home runs as he stands alongside Casey Colbert, the the widow of former record holder Nate Colbert, before a baseball game against the Houston Astros Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Eric Wagaman scored with one out in the 13th inning when Jordyn Adams' grounder deflected off the glove of third baseman Miguel Vargas, and the Los Angeles Angels dealt the Chicago White Sox their 117th loss, rallying for a 4-3 victory on Wednesday.

Instead of winning consecutive series for the first time in four months, the White Sox tied the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics for the third most losses since 1900.

Chicago (36-117) needs to go 7-2 in its final nine games to avoid the post-1900 record of 120 losses by the 1962 expansion New York Mets. The 2003 Detroit Tigers hold the American League mark with 119 losses.

It doesn't get easier for the White Sox, who begin a three-game series at San Diego on Friday. The Padres hold the first NL wild card spot but have closed within 3 1/2 games of the slumping Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

“We get the same question every day, we're focused on one series at a time and one game at a time. Everything else is irrelevant right now,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “It's going to be a hard series (in San Diego). They're playing for something and we have to play our best ball to have a chance.”

After the series in San Diego, the White Sox close the season with a six-game homestand against the Angels (Sept. 24-26) and Detroit Tigers (Sept. 27-29).

The Angels had the bases loaded in the 10th and 12th innings, but were finally able to walk it off in the 13th.

“We had opportunities throughout the game to do something, we just couldn’t stretch that run, especially in extra innings. But we kept going and finally caught a break,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.

Wagaman was the automatic runner on second base and advanced to third on Logan O'Hoppe's ground ball to right field. With the infield drawn in, Adams hit a sharp grounder off Jairo Iriarte (0-1) that Vargas wasn't able to field cleanly, giving the Angels their fifth walk off victory of the season.

“I was just trying to put it in play and give the runner at third a chance to score,” Adams said.

The White Sox had the bases loaded with two out in the 13th, but José Quijada (2-0) struck out Yoán Moncada to end the frame. It was Moncada's his first big league at-bat since April 9. He was activated from the 60-day injured list on Monday after missing five months because of a left adductor strain.

The game went into extra innings tied at one. Each team scored in the 10th as Chicago’s Korey Lee scored on Vargas’ sacrifice fly and Los Angeles’ Gustavo Campero had an RBI base hit.

The teams again traded runs in the 11th on RBI singles by the White Sox Andrew Benintendi and Wagaman.

Andrew Vaughn led off the fourth inning with his team-tying 19th home run. The designated hitter — who is 7 for 20 with two homers during a five-game hitting streak — drove an elevated, inside sinker from Halos starter Jack Kochanowicz into the bullpens in left field as he went deep for the second time in the series.

The White Sox have hit nine home runs over the last five games after recording just six in the previous 13 contests.

The Angels evened it in the eighth when Taylor Ward's line drive went off the glove of White Sox shortstop Nicky Lopez and into left field to drive in Zach Neto.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: OF Mickey Moniak (left hand) did not start for the third straight day, but came in as a pinch runner in the 11th inning.

UP NEXT

White Sox: LHP Garrett Crochet (6-12, 3.78 ERA) takes the mound on Friday to start a three-game series at San Diego.

Angels: Head to Houston for a four-game weekend series. LHP José Suarez (1-2, 6.80) makes his second start of the season on Thursday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Prelander Berroa leaves the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Jack López applies sunscreen before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels third baseman Eric Wagaman applies sunscreen before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Chicago White Sox first base coach/outfield coach Jason Bourgeois (38) is reflected in the glasses of third baseman Bryan Ramos in the dugout during the sixth inning of a baseball game Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Jack López throws to first to out Chicago White Sox's Lenyn Sosa during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Chicago White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets (32) tags out Los Angeles Angels' Jordyn Adams (39) at first base during the third inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Chicago White Sox designated hitter Andrew Vaughn celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels' Eric Wagaman (34) scores off of a walk-off single hit by Jordyn Adams during the thirteenth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. The Angels won 4-3. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels' Jordyn Adams (39) celebrates after a walk-off single during the thirteenth inning to win 4-3 over the Chicago White Sox in a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Angels' Jordyn Adams is doused after a walk-off single to win 4-3 against the Chicago White Sox in a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)