CHICAGO (AP) — Andrew Benintendi hit a home run in the ninth inning and the Chicago White Sox ended a 16-game losing streak by beating the Oakland Athletics 7-6 on Saturday night.
Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., Nicky Lopez and Lenyn Sosa each had three hits for Chicago, which had lost four in a row. Lopez finished with three RBIs.
The home loss was a franchise record. At 34-115, the White Sox hope to avoid the majors’ record for losses since 1900 — 120 by the New York Mets in their inaugural season of 1962.
Chicago took a 6-3 lead into the ninth inning, but Oakland came back against Justin Anderson. Two runs were scored on an error by Sosa at third. Zack Gelof hit a tying RBI single off Gus Varland, but Shea Langeliers was thrown out of the plate by left fielder Zach DeLoach.
Varland (1-0) then escaped trouble by retiring Tyler Soderstrom with a grounder to third base, which then retired Max Schuemann.
Benintendi then closed the game with his 17th home run, a drive to right on a 1-2 slider by Hogan Harris (4-4).
