Score one for the beleaguered Chicago White Sox — and keep a dubious, would-be major-league record on hold for now, too.
After rallying for a 3-2 home victory against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, the White Sox moved to 1-94 in games in which they have trailed after seven innings.
By doing so, Chicago (37-120) remained tied with the expansion 1962 New York Mets for the most single-season losses in MLB since 1901. The White Sox will try to ward off a foothold on futility when the series with the Angels (63-94) continues Wednesday night.
Stymied by Angels rookie right-hander Jack Kochanowicz for seven innings, the White Sox overcame a 2-0 deficit with three eighth-inning runs Tuesday.
Los Angeles second baseman Jack Lopez misplayed a Luis Robert pop-up into a game-tying RBI single with two outs. Moments later, Andrew Benintendi delivered a go-ahead RBI single, his second hit of the night.
“It’s exciting; we haven’t had a lot of breaks go our way,” White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “And to be on the other end of that, finally, is much-needed.”
A crowd of 17,606 largely supported the White Sox but also wasn’t shy about directing ill will toward club owner Jerry Reinsdorf, frequently breaking into chants of “SELL THE TEAM!”
“It’s been a long season,” Benintendi said. “I think that, you know, people here tonight were maybe trying to see history, but they’re going to have to wait one more day. Maybe.”
The Angels have lost four of five on a seven-game road trip. One more loss for them will tie a franchise record for the most in team history. They lost 95 games in 1968 and 1980.
Los Angeles took two of three from visiting Chicago last week before heading out on the trip.
Lopez delivered his first career home run for the Angels on Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to six games. Eric Wagaman contributed two hits and an RBI. He’s 7-for-18 in his first four career games against the White Sox.
First baseman Nolan Schanuel, in his first full season, went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, but manager Ron Washington has lauded Schanuel’s consistent improvement as he adjusts to playing every day.
“Total growth,” Washington said. “He’s become different in many ways. He’s learning about his capabilities at the plate. He’s turning himself into a great first baseman. Yes, it’s going to be a couple more years before he arrived there, but if you’d have seen him in spring training, you wouldn’t have thought that he would be doing what he’s doing right now.”
Right-hander Davis Martin on Wednesday will aim to pitch Chicago to a series victory in its last home set of the season. Martin (0-5, 4.27 ERA) lost to the host Angels on Sept. 17, allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings in a 5-0 loss.
Lefty Jose Suarez (1-2, 6.08 ERA) will get the call for the Angels. Suarez took a no-decision at Houston on Thursday, spacing one unearned run and three hits in five innings as the Angels lost 3-1.
Suarez is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two career games against the White Sox, including one start, with nine strikeouts in eight innings.
–Field Level Media
