CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox remained tied with the 1962 New York Mets for the modern major league record of 120 losses in a season, rallying to score three runs in the eighth inning and beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Tuesday night. Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking, two-out single to help the White Sox (37-120) stave off infamy for at least one more night. Fans voiced their displeasure with White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf by chanting “Sell the team!” throughout the game and booed when Los Angeles’ Eric Wagaman grounded out to end it, apparently unhappy they didn’t get to witness the record-breaking loss.
“It’s been a long season,” Benintendi said. “I think that people here tonight were maybe trying to see history. But they’re going to have to wait one more day.
Maybe.” Jonathan Cannon pitched three-hit ball over six scoreless innings for Chicago. The White Sox have five games left — two more against the Angels and three at Detroit — to set a record no team wants.
Chicago had never dropped more than 106 games 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 rallied in unlikely fashion. They were 0-94 when trailing after seven inning.