The Chicago White Sox avoided a record-breaking 121st loss for the second night in a row, winning against the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Wednesday thanks to Andrew Benintendi’s single in the 10th inning.
Chicago is now tied with the 1962 New York Mets for the modern major league record for losses in a season. They will face Los Angeles again on Thursday before wrapping up their schedule with three games in Detroit.
Benintendi came through with the game-winning hit for the second straight game, hitting a one-out single to left-center off José Quijada (2-1). This allowed designated runner Miguel Vargas to score from second base.
After the game, the White Sox celebrated by dumping a cooler of liquid on Benintendi for his clutch hit. On Tuesday, he had already delivered 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 inning. Lenyn Sosa then put Chicago ahead again with a solo homer in the fourth against José Suarez.
The Angels had runners on first and third in the seventh inning against Enyel De Los Santos, but they didn’t score after Kevin Pillar grounded into a double play.
A small crowd was mostly quiet until the eighth inning, when fans began expressing their frustration with chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. They chanted “Sell the team!” and “Jerry sucks!” as the Angels tied the game against Justin Anderson.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out before Michael Stefanic executed a squeeze play, getting a bunt single that tied the game at 3. Taylor Ward then hit 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,” said White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore. “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) tied a franchise record with their 95th loss, matching the totals from the 1968 and 1980 teams. Los Angeles hit into three double plays in the last four innings, including one with the bases loaded.
“I don’t know if it was us or if it was them making pitches,” said manager Ron Washington. “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 allowed two runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked a career-high five batters and hit one before leaving with the bases loaded in the fourth.
Michael Soroka came in and gave up a two-run single to Ward, but that was the only hit he allowed in 2 1/3 innings. Jared Shuster (2-4) pitched in the 10th inning.
Suarez pitched five innings for Los Angeles, giving up three runs and five hits.
Chicago had never lost more than 106 games in a season before this year. They surpassed that mark when the New York Mets defeated them on Sept. 1.
The White Sox tied the American League record of 119 losses in San Diego on Saturday and matched the 1962 Mets the next day. However, with the chance to lose more games than any team since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who finished 20-134, the White Sox held off history for the past two nights.
