OAKLAND, Calif. — Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox snapped their American League record-tying losing streak at 21 games on Tuesday night, beating the Oakland Athletics 5-1.
Chicago on Monday matched the longest losing streak since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles lost 21 in a row, falling to the Athletics 5-1. The NL record since 1900 is held by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 23 straight.
The major league low belongs to the 1889 Louisville Colonels, an American Association team that lost 26 consecutive games during a 27-111 season.
“It’s just really good to get this behind us,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said. “I thought we played a really clean game today.”
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, before Tuesday, the White Sox had gone five straight games without holding a lead, their longest streak since 2019. The only season in the last 50 years in which they had a longer streak was in 2013.
“They pitched well tonight,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said of the White Sox. “We only scored one run, so they deserved to win the game. They played a good, clean game tonight, and we didn’t generate any offense. For that club over there, I’m sure they’re excited about ending their losing streak.”
When Benintendi homered to right to open the scoring at 2-0, it marked Chicago’s first lead since July 30th against the Kansas City Royals.
“It feels great. Anytime you win, it feels great,” Grifol added. “Anytime that you when when you’ve lost 21 in a row, it’s even better. I’m proud of these guys, they just keep coming to the ballpark everyday, they play hard, and they care.”
Chicago, which had last won on July 10 in a doubleheader opener against Minnesota, moved to 28-88. The White Sox have been held to one run or none 32 times this season.
“It’s not a big dugout (in Oakland), but it was actually kind of cool to watch these guys, for nine innings, just pull for each other there,” Grifol said. “It was just a group of guys together, just trying to see if we can get this behind us.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
