Andrew Benintendi capped a three-run eighth inning with a go-ahead RBI single as the host Chicago White Sox edged the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Tuesday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Handcuffed by Angels rookie right-hander Jack Kochanowicz for seven innings, Chicago (37-120) rallied to remain tied with the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in a single season in modern major league history.
It was Chicago’s first win this year when trailing after seven innings.
Kochanowicz limited the White Sox to three singles and no runs. He struck out four, didn’t issue a walk and threw 58 of his 82 pitches for strikes.
Consecutive eighth-inning doubles from Zach DeLoach and Bryan Ramos against Hunter Strickland (3-2) brought Chicago within 2-1. A walk gave the White Sox two runners aboard, and Chicago tied the game two batters later when Angels second baseman Jack Lopez misplayed a Luis Robert Jr. popup, giving Robert an RBI single.
Benintendi followed with his run-scoring single against Brock Burke to put the White Sox up 3-2.
Justin Anderson worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to earn his first save of the year.
Prelander Berroa (1-0) got the win.
Eric Wagaman had two hits and an RBI for the Angels (63-94), who capitalized against the White Sox bullpen after rookie starter Jonathan Cannon scattered three hits in six scoreless innings, with one walk and a career-high-tying seven strikeouts.
On Tuesday, the hit that traveled the shortest distance against Cannon arguably elicited the loudest response from the Guaranteed Rate Field crowd. With one out in the fifth, Mickey Moniak hit a seemingly innocent popup near the mound that fell between four players for a single.
Fans erupted and started a chant directed at owner Jerry Reinsdorf: “Sell the team!”
Cannon departed after throwing 78 pitches, giving the ball to Gus Varland, who struggled with his command. Varland walked Kevin Pillar to open the Angels seventh and later fell behind Wagaman, who lined a 3-1 pitch to right field for a two-out RBI double for the first run of the game.
Lopez greeted Berroa with his first career home run to open the eighth, making it 2-0.
The clubs waited out a rain delay of 1 hour, 5 minutes before the game began.
–Field Level Media
