Ventura not laughing about White Sox mistakes

CHICAGO -- Oakland's four-run ninth inning Monday night, erasing a four-run White Sox lead, left the South Side fan base with a familiar feeling of frustration from this inconsistent 2015 campaign.

Catcher Tyler Flowers and closer David Robertson tried to take a humorous postgame route to describe the strange ninth, a frame which they were main culprits in the lead disappearing. They did the interview together following an 8-7 White Sox victory in 14 innings, drawing big laughs from the media in their 90-second session.

One day after the debacle, Ventura understood the approach taken by the veterans, but he had trouble finding the humor in the mistakes that transpired during that frame.

Video: OAK@CWS: Ventura discusses 8-7 win in extra innings

"They understood the levity of it," Ventura said. "They're trying to release something. We won the game and they're trying to keep that part of it, whether they were trying to be funny, I didn't see it so, but I did hear about it.

"You talk to them, they're trying to get past it. They know they messed up and that's how they got past it."

That ninth featured just two hits for the A's. There was a wild pitch on a swinging third strike, a catcher's interference against Flowers on what could have been a Josh Reddick game-ending double play grounder, a bases-loaded walk to Coco Crisp and a passed ball to allow the tying run to score where Flowers was expecting an offspeed pitch and Robertson crossed him up by coming with a fastball.

"Well, they messed it up," Ventura said. "Obviously, you miss the sign, and they're crossed up. It doesn't happen very often, so that's the part that just can't happen. Even watching the whole inning was bizarre anyway, but that's the one you get upset with."

Ventura agreed with Flowers' assessment that the comedy bit wouldn't have taken place if the White Sox didn't win the game.

"I think it would have been less [well] received had we not won," said Ventura.