OAKLAND, Calif. — Michael Kopech struck out Brooks Lee in three pitches to begin the ninth inning in Game 1 of a July 10 doubleheader at Guaranteed Rate Field.
He needed just three more pitches to strike out the next batter, Matt Wallner. And when Kopech fanned Max Kepler on three pitches for the final out that afternoon against the Minnesota Twins, he completed the first immaculate inning for a Chicago White Sox pitcher since Hollis “Sloppy” Thurston on Aug. 22, 1923.
The Sox topped the Twins 3-1.
Entering Tuesday, they hadn’t won since.
The Sox matched an American League record Monday, suffering their 21st consecutive defeat with a 5-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum. The Sox share the distinction with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles.
“You read a lot about it, everybody is writing about it,” left fielder Andrew Benintendi said after the game. “It’s hard to miss.”
The Sox and ‘88 Orioles are tied for the second-longest losing streak in major-league history since 1901. Only the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies had a longer skid, losing 23 straight.
“We’re just trying to rally as a team and find a way to get a win,” outfielder Corey Julks said Monday night.
Here’s how the Sox, who are 27-88, reached yet another dubious mark.
Loss No. 1: July 10 vs. Minnesota
Score: 3-2
Best chance to win: The Sox led 2-0 entering the sixth inning of Game 2 of the doubleheader. But the Twins hit back-to-back homers in the inning and went ahead with a run in the seventh. The Sox didn’t have a hit after the fourth inning and were limited to just four in the game.
Quote: “We couldn’t muster anything past those runs early on. Our starters are doing a good job every night, giving us a chance to win against some good teams. Just have to keep it going.” — manager Pedro Grifol.
Losses 2-4: July 12-14 vs. Pittsburgh
Scores: 4-1, 6-2, 9-4
Best chance to win: An RBI single by Gavin Sheets in the fifth inning brought the Sox within 4-3 in the series finale. But the Pirates pulled away with four runs in seventh. The Sox went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position as they headed to the All-Star break 27-71, the most losses before the break in MLB history.
Quote: “It’s not the first half we wanted, but we’ve just got to keep showing up, playing hard.” — Benintendi.
Losses 5-7: July 19-21 at Kansas City
Scores: 7-1, 6-1, 4-1
Best chance to win: Tommy Pham knocked in Nicky Lopez with a single in the sixth inning of the series finale, giving the Sox their only lead of the weekend. The Royals tied the score with one in the seventh and then had five singles during a three-run eighth on the way to a three-game sweep.
Quote: “There’s a reason I’m going through this, there’s a reason we’re going through this as an organization. A reason these young kids are here with this opportunity to perform and develop.” — Grifol.
Losses 8-11: July 22-25 at Texas
Scores: 4-3 (10 innings), 3-2, 10-2, 2-1
Best chance to win: Paul DeJong hit a solo homer to give the Sox a one-run lead in the ninth inning of the series opener. But Rangers tied it on a two-out RBI single by Jonah Heim and won it in the 10th on an RBI single by Wyatt Langford.
Quote: “There is a roller coaster of emotions attached to some of these games, whether going up early and then finding ways to lose.” — GM Chris Getz on July 24.
Losses 12-14: July 26-28 vs. Seattle
Scores: 10-0, 6-3, 6-3
Best chance to win: Luis Robert Jr. represented the tying run in the middle game of the series, batting with two on and two outs in the eighth. He struck out for the fourth time in the game. The Sox went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Quote: “You’ve got to keep working hard and hopefully we get one where we can put an end to this.” — starter Erick Fedde.
Losses 15-17: July 29-31 vs. Kansas City
Scores: 8-5, 4-3, 10-3
Best chance to win: Bobby Witt Jr. hit a grand slam during a six-run eighth inning as the Royals rallied to stun the Sox in the series opener. It was their 15th straight defeat, setting a single-season franchise record.
Quote: “It’s a tough one to swallow, to battle that hard all the way through and it kind of just slips away at the end.” — starter Chris Flexen.
Losses 18-20: Aug. 2-4 at Minnesota
Scores: 10-2, 6-2, 13-7
Best chance to win: Brooks Baldwin hit a tying solo home run in the sixth inning of the middle game of the series. Kepler broke the tie with a solo homer in the seventh, and the Twins added three runs in the eighth.
Quote: “I feel like for the most part we’ve been in most of the games we’ve lost. Not just in this streak but throughout the year. Typically one play or one inning is the difference.” — starter Garrett Crochet.
Loss No. 21: Aug. 5 at Oakland
Score: 5-1
Best chance to win: A Benintendi RBI single tied it in the fourth inning. The A’s responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and didn’t look back as the Sox matched the ‘88 Orioles.
Quote: “No one wants to lose. Pissed about one loss, let alone 21. So show up tomorrow.” — Benintendi.
