CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox avoided a record-breaking 121st loss for the second straight game, beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Wednesday night on Andrew Benintendi’s 10th-inning single.
Chicago is tied with the 1962 New York Mets for the modern major league record for losses in a season. It plays Los Angeles again on Thursday before finishing its schedule with three games at Detroit.
Benintendi delivered the go-ahead hit for the second time in as many games when he lined a one-out single to left-center against José Quijada (2-1), helping the White Sox (38-120) put off infamy for the second night in a row. Designated runner Miguel Vargas scored from second.
The White Sox emptied a cooler on Benintendi after he came through with another winning hit. On Tuesday, Benintendi had a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning of Chicago’s 3-2 win.
“It feels good to get the win, but it sucks to get it poured on you, especially when it’s starting to cool down a little bit,” Benintendi said. “I was trying to run away a little bit. No, it’s exciting. I mean, you want that poured on you even though deep down you’re kinda trying to avoid it. It’s hard to avoid.”
Korey Lee gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the second Wednesday night. Lenyn Sosa put Chicago back on top with a tiebreaking solo drive in the fourth against José Suarez.
The Angels had runners on the corners in the seventh against Enyel De Los Santos. But they came away empty-handed when Kevin Pillar grounded into a double play.
A sparse crowd was largely quiet until the eighth, when fans started to voice their displeasure with chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. They chanted “Sell the team!” and “Jerry sucks!” and the chorus only grew louder as the Angels tied it against Justin Anderson.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out before Michael Stefanic laid down a bunt single on a squeeze play, tying it at 3. Taylor Ward then grounded into a double play.
“We know they’re frustrated, but when you’re in that moment you’re just trying to block all that stuff out, all the negative stuff and focus on the game and what you can do to help the team win. We’re professionals,” White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “We’re not going to let anything rattle us. We’re going out there and trying to compete and do the best we can to get a win.”
The Angels (63-95) matched a franchise record with their 95th loss, a mark shared by the 1968 and 1980 teams. Los Angeles grounded into three double plays in the final four innings, including one with the bases loaded.
“I don’t know if it was us or if it was them making pitches,” manager Ron Washington said. “But you certainly were looking for the ball to get in the air right there or a base hit. We just couldn’t get it done.”
White Sox starter Davis Martin gave up two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked a career-high five and hit a batter before exiting with the bases loaded in the fourth.
Michael Soroka came in and gave up a two-run single to Ward. That was the only hit he allowed over 2 1/3 innings. Jared Shuster (2-4) worked the 10th.
Suarez went five innings for Los Angeles, allowing three runs and five hits.
Chicago had never lost more than 106 prior to this year. The White Sox passed that mark with plenty of time to spare when the New York Mets beat them on Sept. 1.
Chicago tied the American League record of 119 losses at San Diego on Saturday and matched the ’62 Mets the following day. But with a chance to lose more games than any team since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders went 20-134, the White Sox put history on hold the past two nights.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: 1B Nolan Schanuel (bruised right leg) exited in the first. He fouled a ball off his leg, and Brandon Drury replaced him in the field in the bottom half.
UP NEXT
The White Sox opted to push ace Garrett Crochet’s start back a day to Friday. They will go with RHP Chris Flexen (2-15, 5.15 ERA) for the home finale. LHP Tyler Anderson (10-14, 3.70 ERA) gets the ball for Los Angeles. Sizemore said the White Sox chose to have Crochet start against the playoff-contending Tigers because “it’s gonna make for good baseball.”
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