MLB Daily Summary: Chicago White Sox Ward Off Title as Worst Modern Era Team in Baseball, Temporarily
In the midst of a 2-0 deficit entering the 8th inning, the White Sox produced a three-run surge, eventually emerging victorious 3-2. This victory marked their 37th win of the season.
Regrettably, with a staggering 120 losses, the White Sox share the unfortunate distinction of holding the most losses in a single season with the 1962 expansion New York Mets, in baseball's contemporary era which began in 1901.
Fans at Guaranteed Rate Field voiced their discontent, calling for team owner Jerry Reinsdorf to sell the franchise and jeered as the game drew to a close, anticipating a historic defeat.
"It's been a long season," stated White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi, attributed to AP. "I believe that people tonight were hoping to witness history. But they'll have to wait one more day. Maybe."
Benintendi was responsible for the game-deciding, two-out single in the 8th, preventing the undesirable record - despite the White Sox having five games left to achieve this feat.
"It's not something we're proud of," general manager Chris Getz mentioned prior to the game. "There are numerous reasons why we find ourselves in the position we are in today. However, I view this situation as an exceptional opportunity to establish something new."
The White Sox scored their winning streak victory, ending a five-game losing streak, and will face the Angels again on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros clinched their 7th AL West division title in the last 8 seasons, winning 4-3 against the Seattle Mariners.
Following a lackluster start to the season, the victory marked the first time in Houston's franchise history that it has won four consecutive AL West titles, while they will also extend their postseason appearance streak for a record-breaking 8th consecutive year.
Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Jason Heyward all contributed home runs for the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Heyward smashed a two-run homer in the 5th inning, giving Houston the edge.
The Astros trailed the Mariners by 10 games in the AL West in June before staging a turnaround with a seven-game winning streak.
"We had a challenging start," commented Bregman. "But everyone just kept pushing, stayed focused and worked hard. I'm very proud of this team. They know how to win games. It's part of their culture."
Following their playoff berth and division title win last week, the Cleveland Guardians secured a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the American League Divisional Series.
They defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-1, retaining the Ohio Cup on Tuesday and will now eye the New York Yankees, currently the top-ranked team in the American League, aiming to capture the AL Central title and the number one seed.
"It's incredible," said general manager Stephen Vogt. "We've worked really hard to achieve postseason and division titles and now with the bye - it's just fantastic for these guys, they've earned it all."
The Yankees can still clinch the AL East division with victory against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. However, the Orioles celebrated their own victory on Tuesday, overcoming the Yankees 5-3 and clinching a postseason berth.
Baltimore will now participate in back-to-back postseasons for the first time in 27 years. The only scenario allowing Baltimore to finish atop the division is the Orioles winning all their remaining matches, while the Yankees lose all theirs.
"I'm excited to see what this group can achieve now that they've had a more challenging regular season," said general manager Mike Elias. "We have all our players back in good health, our lineup looks solid, and I'm hoping we can build some momentum heading into the playoffs."
Despite the team's struggles, White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez remains passionate about his love for the sport, often spending extra hours at the batting cage to perfect his swing.
In an effort to boost morale and inspire improvement, White Sox manager Tony La Russa frequently encourages his players to focus on the joy of playing sport and the collective goal of turning their season around.
