The Chicago White Sox lost their 21st game in a row, matching the American League record, after a 5-1 defeat to the Oakland Athletics on Monday night. Max Schuemann hit a key two-run single in the fourth inning to give the A’s the lead.
Chicago is now on the longest losing streak since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who also lost 21 games in a row. The National League record since 1900 is held by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 23 straight games.
The record for the most losses in major league history belongs to the 1889 Louisville Colonels, an American Association team that lost 26 consecutive games during a 27-111 season.
Chicago, which last won on July 10 in the first game of a doubleheader against Minnesota, is now 27-88 and on track to finish 38-124. This would be the most losses since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders of the National League, who went 20-134. The White Sox have been held to one run or none in 32 games.
In the first inning, Tyler Nevin’s sacrifice fly put the A’s ahead. Andrew Benintendi later tied the game with an RBI single against JP Sears (9-8) in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, JJ Bleday doubled off Ky Bush (0-1), who was making his major league debut. Zack Gelof walked, and Darell Hernaiz was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Schuemann then hit a single that bounced into left field, giving the A’s a 3-1 lead.
Lawrence Butler hit a home run in the sixth inning against Chad Kuhl, his 16th of the season. In the eighth inning, Gelof scored when he sprinted home from first base after Jared Shuster’s pitch bounced away from catcher Korey Lee. As Schuemann struck out, Lee looked toward Gelof at third base and threw to first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Gelof then ran home when Vaughn’s throw skipped past Lee.
Sears allowed three hits in seven innings, with five strikeouts and one walk, improving his record to 5-1 in his last six games.
Austin Adams and Tyler Ferguson closed out the game, allowing only four hits in a game that lasted just 2 hours and 15 minutes.
