CHICAGO — Andy Ibanez homered and had three RBIs as the Detroit Tigers sent the Chicago White Sox to their 100th loss with a 9-4 victory on Sunday.
Andrew Vaughn doubled, homered and had two RBIs for the White Sox (31-100), who need to go 12-19 to avoid tying the 1962 New York Mets, who were 40-120-1, for the modern major league record for most losses in a season. Chicago will fall short of the all-time record held by the Cleveland Spiders, who finished 20-134 in 1899.
In MLB history, only the 1916 Philadelphia A’s, who were 29-100-1, reached 100 losses in fewer games than the White Sox.
“We have been talking about it all year. It’s beating a dead horse at this point. We are not where we want to be,” White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi said. “[Interim manager Grady Sizemore] said it best: ‘Unless you win the last game of the year, it doesn’t matter.’ So, I think everyone has moved on.”
Colt Keith had three hits and three RBIs for the Tigers (65-66), who have won four of five. The two teams will conclude their four-game series Monday.
Chicago has lost 100 or more games six times in franchise history and in consecutive seasons for the first time. They went 61-101 last season under manager Pedro Grifol, who was fired Aug. 8. Chicago is 3-11 under Sizemore.
“We know where we are at,” Benintendi said. “We know it’s not good.”
The White Sox dropped a club-worst 106 games in 1970. Their worst winning percentage is .325, when they went 49-102-1 in 1932.
Bryan Sammons (1-1) allowed a run and three hits in 4⅓ innings for Detroit to earn the victory.
“It wasn’t the most efficient day on the mound,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “But offensively, we did a lot of really positive things.”
Starter Jonathan Cannon (2-8) gave up five runs and eight hits in four innings for the White Sox.
“Obviously, no one wants to lose 100 games, especially with still a month to go,” Cannon said. “But we’re going to keep coming here every day, getting our work in and keep just going out there and trying to win some ball games.”
Benintendi and Vaughn hit back-to-back doubles off opener Beau Brieske to put the White Sox ahead 2-0 in the first.
Detroit’s Kerry Carpenter doubled, reached third on center fielder Dominic Fletcher‘s fielding error and scored on Keith’s single to cut the lead to 2-1 in the third. Chicago had four errors.
Vaughn hit his 15th homer, a solo shot, off Sammons in the third to increase Chicago’s lead to 3-1.
Zach McKinstry singled, stole second and scored on Parker Meadows‘ triple to make it 3-2 in the fourth.
The Tigers scored three runs in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead. Carpenter, Keith and Jace Jung hit consecutive singles to tie it before pinch hitter Ibanez grounded into a fielder’s choice and Trey Sweeney singled to bring in the other runs.
“In every inning, you give yourself a puncher’s chance when you are creating opportunities for yourselves,” Hinch said. “That’s what you have to hang your hats on, and just keep grinding.”
Ibanez hit a two-run homer off Enyel De Los Santos in the seventh and Keith added a two-run double in the eighth.
“Everyone in that locker room is aware of the record and how frustrating it is, absolutely,” Sizemore said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.