SAN DIEGO (AP) — On Sunday, the Chicago White Sox equaled the post-1900 MLB record for losses, reaching a total of 120, a record previously set by the expansion New York Mets in 1962. This milestone was sealed after the San Diego Padres mounted a comeback, scoring three runs in the eighth inning to secure a 4-2 victory, highlighted by a towering home run from Fernando Tatis Jr.
The White Sox (36-120) initially took a 2-1 lead, thanks to home runs from Korey Lee and Miguel Vargas off pitcher Yu Darvish. However, they squandered this advantage in the eighth inning. This defeat came a day after the White Sox matched the American League record of 119 losses established by the 2003 Detroit Tigers. The franchise with the all-time record for losses remains the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who ended the season at 20-134.
Interim manager Grady Sizemore chose not to speak to the team following the game, remarking, “No loss is good. It’s not something that we’re focused on. I think everyone outside this clubhouse is more obsessed with it than us. The way we spin is to put this one behind us and get ready for the series back home.”
With only six games left in the season, the White Sox are on the brink of solidifying the modern-day record for losses if they incur just one more defeat. They will be playing three games at home against the Los Angeles Angels starting Tuesday night before finishing the season with three games in Detroit, who is currently contending for a wild-card spot in the American League.
Veteran player Andrew Benintendi acknowledged the tough season, stating, “I guess when you lose 120, it’s easier to brush it off, but it (stinks) to go through it, but that’s where we’re at.”
Meanwhile, the Padres (90-66) celebrated clinching their first 90-win season since 2010—achieving a record of 90-72 that year but missing the playoffs after a difficult September. This latest win also reduced their magic number to one for securing their third playoff appearance since 2020.
As the Padres prepare for a three-game series against the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Tuesday, they understand the significance of winning out to clinch the division title, despite currently trailing the Dodgers by three games. However, the Padres own the tiebreaker. They enjoy a three-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League’s top wild card spot, and will also play three games at Arizona next weekend.
The San Diego crowd of 45,197 grew excited as they chanted “Beat L.A.!” while the team’s players and staff acknowledged the fans after the last regular-season home game. The Padres’ attendance set a franchise record, with a total of 3,314,593 fans over 80 games this season. Tatis expressed confidence in the team’s potential, saying, “We’re never out, and that’s probably since the first week that we played baseball this year. What we have been doing over here is really special. We have the talent to go all the way. But it’s time to take care of business one day at a time.”
The Padres tied the game at 2 when Donovan Solano and pinch-hitter Luis Arraez hit doubles to begin the eighth inning against Fraser Ellard (2-3). After Arraez advanced on a wild pitch, he scored the go-ahead run on Jurickson Profar’s sacrifice fly. Tatis followed with a remarkable home run, his 20th of the season, sending the ball soaring into the left field stands and celebrating with an enthusiastic trot around the bases.
In a noteworthy performance, White Sox rookie Sean Burke limited the Padres to just one run and two hits over six innings in only his third big league appearance, recording eight strikeouts and one walk. Benintendi was impressed, stating, “Burke threw a hell of a game. They’ve got a lot of good bats up and down that lineup, guys that have played a long time and once they get the lead with that bullpen, it seems like it’s pretty much over at this point.”
Lee hit a line drive homer to left field in the third inning, marking his 11th homer of the season. Profar then evened the score with an opposite-field homer, his 24th of the year, extending his personal best. Vargas recaptured the lead for the White Sox with a homer to left-center in the sixth, his fifth of the season.
During the game, Darvish achieved a milestone as he became the first Japanese-born player to reach 2,000 career strikeouts, fanning Jacob Amaya in the third inning. Sunday’s nine strikeouts brought his MLB total to 2,003 in 12 seasons, while he allowed only two runs and three hits with nine walks.
Robert Suarez, despite recent struggles, secured his 34th save by pitching the ninth inning.
UP NEXT
White Sox: Scheduled to start RHP Jonathan Cannon (4-10, 4.61 ERA) on Tuesday night for the opener of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, who will counter with RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-5, 4.56).
Padres: RHP Michael King (12-9, 3.04) is slated to start Tuesday night’s opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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