(Minneapolis) The dismal Chicago White Sox lost a 20e consecutive games Sunday, the longest such streak in 36 years in major league baseball.
Starting pitcher Chris Flexen (2-11) was quickly forced out of the game after allowing eight runs in 1 2/3 innings of work.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Flexen said simply.
The White Sox (27-87) tried to come back from the brink, up to 10-7 in the eighth inning, but finally lost 13-7 to the Minnesota Twins.
“At the end of the day, we’ve lost 20 in a row, it hurts. It sucks,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “We just have to find a way to put this behind us. We’ll have to be professionals and do what we have to do tomorrow (Monday).”
The White Sox’ losing streak is the longest since the Baltimore Orioles lost 21 games in a row in 1988. It’s also the American League record.
The National League record is held by the poor Philadelphia Phillies, who suffered 23 straight losses in 1961.
This 20e The White Sox’s back-to-back losses put them on track for a 38-124 season, which would be the worst campaign in major league baseball since the Cleveland Spiders’ 20-134 season in 1899.
“It’s really tough,” center fielder Luis Robert Jr. said. “There’s nothing you can do but come out there every day and try to win.”
The White Sox will try to end their horrible streak when they open a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics on Monday.