Today in White Sox History: July 18
Mark Buehrle begins a dazzling, record run
1921
The trial for eight White Sox players who became known as the “Black Sox” began in Chicago. The players were accused of trying to defraud the public by throwing the World Series. A jury found the players innocent; however, commissioner Kenesaw Landis banned them for life and destroyed one of the finest teams in baseball history.
1936
White Sox outfielder Rip Radcliff became the first player in franchise history to collect six hits in a game. He went 6-for-7 with four RBIs and four runs in Chicago’s 21-14 win over the Athletics in Philadelphia.
Also, the 21 runs scored in the game remain tied for the third-most in White Sox history.
1948
In the first game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia, White Sox outfielder Pat Seerey hit four home runs against the A’s. The Sox would win the slugfest, 12-11, in 11 innings.
Seerey is the only Sox player to ever hit four homers in a single game. In fact, this day’s effort made him just the third player in MLB history ever to hit four home runs in a game. To this day, only 15 other players in history have equaled Seerey’s feat.
Seerey went 4-for-6, with seven RBIs and four runs. His home runs came in the fourth, sixth, seventh and 11th innings, and his blow in the 11th was the eventual game-winner. In his other plate appearances the cleanup hitter struck out in the second inning, popped out foul to the catch in the seventh, and walked in the ninth.
Seerey’s 16 total bases remains the White Sox record, with no other batter in team history ever getting more than 14.
1984
The White Sox made a dud of a deal, with long-term implications, trading Chicago native and relief pitcher Kevin Hickey along with prospect Doug Drabek (as the player to be named later) to the Yankees for Roy Smalley.
Smalley would do nothing on the South Side, while eventually Drabek would wind up as the ace of the great Pirates teams of the early 1990s, winning a Cy Young. Drabek finally pitched for the Sox, in 1997, going 12-11 with a 5.74 ERA.
2008
The White Sox brought their hitting shoes to the park for a game with the Royals, as the first eight batters reached base safely as part of a six-run first inning. They’d wind up winning the game, 9-5.
Orlando Cabrera led off with a single, A.J. Pierzynski singled, Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch, Jermaine Dye singled, Jim Thome singled, Paul Konerko singled, Nick Swisher singled and Joe Crede singled.
The hits all came off of Zach Greinke.
2009
Mark Buehrle pitched into the eighth inning, giving up two singles and getting Nick Markakis to fly out before handing the ball over to Scott Linebrink, still in line for his 10th win of the season.
So, who cares, right? Well, as it turned out, that was the first out of what would become a 45-out streak to set an MLB record. Buehrle’s next outing was his July 23 perfect game, pushing his streak to 28 outs. The southpaw retired the first 17 Twins in his next outing before walking Alexi Casilla to snap the streak.
Buehrle recorded four more outs than previous record-holders Jim Barr and Bobby Jenks.
2021
In a 4-0 win over the Astros in Chicago, a couple of White Sox records were set.
Shortstop Tim Anderson became the first player with a hit and a run scored in 11 straight games, breaking a tie held had with several other players. The record was set with a solo home run in the fifth inning.
Also that afternoon, Carlos Rodón set the team mark by striking out at least eight hitters in 10 straight starts, breaking a tie with Juan Pizarro. Rodón struck out 10 batters, only allowing one hit in seven innings of work.