White Sox Have Their Own Historic Moment at the Oakland Coliseum

Jason Burke | Aug 7, 2024

Aug 6, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Jonathan Cannon (48) pitches during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

OAKLAND -- The Chicago White Sox tied the American League record for consecutive losses in a season at 21 on Monday night at the Oakland Coliseum. On Tuesday, they were hoping to avoid having history all to themselves.

Prior to the contest, Sox manager Pedro Grifol appeared relaxed and almost zen about all of the noise surrounding the team's streak and the possibility that he could be fired at any moment. "You gotta find peace, and you gotta find joy in this game. You can't let the pressures of this game control your joy and your peace."

On Tuesday night at the Coliseum, the White Sox found a little bit of peace, beating the Oakland A's 5-1. Chicago scored two on an Andrew Benintendi home run in the top of the fourth, putting them ahead 2-0. Oakland's struggling second baseman Zack Gelof answered back in the bottom half of the inning with a solo shot down the left-field line to cut the deficit in half.

That would be the A's last run of the game, and other than a first and third, two out opportunity in the fifth, was the last time the A's threatened in the game. Oakland was retired in order over the final four frames.

Sox starter Jonathan Cannon holds a 3.91 ERA on the year, even after his six innings of one-run ball that included six hits allowed, a pair of walks, and a hit batter, along with five strikeouts. Yet that ERA on the season doesn't show some of the progress Cannon has made over the course of this season. In five June starts, he held a 3.20 ERA, and in five July starts he finished with a 3.48. The damage came in his first three starts as a big-leaguer in April when he gave up 11 runs in 13 2/3 innings, finishing with a 7.24 ERA.

The White Sox snapped their 21-game losing streak on the same field that Oakland secured their 20-game win streak back in 2002. WIth the win, the Sox will remain tied with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for the longest losing streak in American League history, which just so happened to be snapped when playing in Chicago, against the White Sox, on Friday, April 29, 1988 in a 9-0 game.

Both games involved the team looking to break their streak holding a lead the entire game, and seemingly being in control the whole way. The A's had some opportunities early in the game, loading the bases in the first with two outs, but ultimately did not score.

Now the White Sox will look to build a win streak with a win in Wednesday's finale, while the A's will be looking to win the series. Joey Estes will be pitching for Oakland, and will be looking for the team's first win in a series finale, a feat they have yet to accomplish in five tries since the All-Star break.