White Sox 4, Angels 3 (10 innings)
Another win! And the tragic/magic number for worst-ever remains four games
The White Sox started this game as if determined to crush the spirit of another sizable crowd (18,423) discorporating out of traditional fandom and taking on roles of rooting against the Good Guys, hoping to see the history of Loss 121. But an early 2-0 lead supplied by a Korey Lee homer (no way is Korey looking over his shoulder at Golden Boy catcher Edgar Quero, in Chicago and on the “taxi squad” this series) and a counterpunch-homer by Lenyn Sosa that stole back the lead, 3-2, in the fourth, was ... wait for it, humor me, you know this bullpen ... erased in the eighth.
Justin Anderson was the culprit, giving up three singles sandwiched around a walk that tied the game. But It Could Have Been Worse, he says, as Anderson and the Sox escaped still tied after a 5-4-3 double play ice-bathed the rally.
As the game went to extras, yet ANOTHER double play stifled the Angels (no, three DPs in one game is not close to a White Sox record, but with the defense that’s been rolled out this season it feels like it should be one) and with one out in the 10th, relative hero/Sox superstar Andrew Benintendi kept Loss No. 121 in the rearview mirror for at least one more day.
“Take that, history!”
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 38-120, worst season in White Sox history, worst post-1899 MLB season all-time (a half-game worse than the 1916 A’s) and 82 games below .500
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -318, fifth-worst 158-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 39-123 (.241)
All-Time White Sox Record (1901-2024) 9,591-9,611 (.4995)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) CLINCHED, currently three games worse than the 2003 Tigers
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120-1) 1 game worse; need to finish 3-1 to end season 41-121
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) new record set (120 and counting)
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 49-102-1) CLINCHED, currently 14 1⁄2 games worse than the 1932 team
Race to the Worst Post-1899 Record (1916 A’s, 36-117-1) half-game worse; need to finish season 1-3 to finish 39-123
Tragic Number of Losses to Clinch Worst Post-1899 Record 4