The Chicago White Sox avoided making the wrong kind of history on Tuesday night.
Entering their matchup against the Oakland Athletics, the White Sox had lost 21 straight games, tying the American League record that the Baltimore Orioles set in 1988. They snapped the streak in a 5-1 victory.
Chicago manager Pedro Grifol probably still doesn’t know how to feel after the win.
“I don’t know, I haven’t felt that in about three weeks,” Grifol told Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times before the game. “I’m sure there will be relief, just get it behind us. Just go play the last 40-something games, whatever we have left. I’ll wait until we win a game and see what it feels like. I’ll make sure you’re the first guy I tell. I’ll buy you a beer.”
Does the win salvage the White Sox season? No. They still have the worst record (28-88) in baseball and are 41 games out of first in the AL Central. But at least it gives them something to celebrate.
The team has become the subject of ridicule. Former White Sox manager and World Series champion Ozzie Guillen lambasted players and Grifol during a recent appearance on “Foul Territory.”
“I think they’re not playing hard enough, good enough for him and play the way they should,” Guillen said. “Most of the time he says something we want to hear or protecting somebody. The one thing he has to do is make sure those guys go out and play. They should play.”
Players probably didn’t appreciate critics calling out their effort and used it as motivation. In the win, left fielder Andrew Benintendi went 2-for-4 and hit a two-run homer. Starting pitcher Jonathan Cannon struck out five batters in six innings.
The White Sox should still enter rebuilding mode after the season to turn things around. However, they no longer have to worry about breaking the record, which seems like a relief for the club.