SAN DIEGO — The White Sox matched the American League record for most losses in a season — and now find themselves at the doorstep of the modern-day major-league mark — after falling 6-2 to the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Petco Park.
The Sox suffered their 119th defeat, which ties the 2003 Detroit Tigers — who finished 43-119 — for the most in AL history.
The Sox are 36-119 with seven games remaining. They are one loss from tying the 1962 expansion New York Mets (40-120) for the most defeats in a season during the modern era.
The 119 losses are the most by a team through 155 games in modern-day history. For comparison, the ’62 Mets had 116 losses through 155 games.
One of the season’s themes popped up again Saturday — a lack of consistent offensive production.
The Sox had just four hits — two by Lenyn Sosa — and struck out 12 times.
“The hits were hard to come by tonight,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “I thought we had good at-bats. We had guys on base with chances to score. We didn’t get the big hit when we needed.”
The Padres had three home runs as part of an 11-hit attack. Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run blast in the second and David Peralta had a solo home run in the fourth.
“Terrible execution after the first inning,” Sox starter Chris Flexen said of his outing. “There was hardly any execution. I don’t think I could have thrown Bogaerts’ ball any better for him to hit a home run. Peralta’s stayed up. I’m ahead, leave the ball in the heart of the plate and he’s able to stay back long enough to flick it out.”
Flexen allowed four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings. He is winless in his last 23 starts, extending a Sox record. He is 0-11 during the stretch.
“(A record of) 2-15 with a mid-5 (5.15 ERA) is not good, the walk rate has been high,” Flexen said of his season. “Personally, it’s been a really a roller-coaster season. Put together some double-digit-quality starts, but still it was either hit or miss.
“What’s pretty disappointing is the lack of consistency overall. I’d say for me on a personal level, it’s really disappointing.”
Trailing 4-0, Sosa knocked in a run with a single in sixth. Bryan Ramos drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the eighth, pulling the Sox within 4-2. Dominic Fletcher grounded into an inning-ending double play against left-handed reliever Tanner Scott.
“In that situation, obviously it’s a tough matchup for Fletch, but that’s what I want,” Sizemore said. “I want him having those tough at-bats and facing those tough lefties when the game is on the line. We had our guys on the bench but trying to get (Andrew Benintendi) a day off and get those guys a day off.
“I want Fletch to be our everyday guy in right field and I want him to feel comfortable in those situations, facing a tough lefty, game on the line. Two days in a row where he’s facing one of the top relievers in the game (in Scott) and I thought he had a good at-bat. He hit the ball hard but right at (second baseman Jake Cronenworth).”
Elias Díaz kept the momentum with the Padres, hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, as the Sox made history with more potentially on the way.
Pitcher Michael Soroka returns from lengthy IL stint
The Sox reinstated pitcher Michael Soroka from the 15-day injured list, one of three roster moves before Saturday’s game. Soroka had been on the IL since July 19 with a right shoulder strain. He pitched two scoreless innings Saturday, allowing one hit with three strikeouts and one walk.
The Sox also reinstated reliever Jordan Leasure from the 15-day IL and optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte. He went on the injured list on July 8 with right shoulder impingement. The Sox designated pitcher Chad Kuhl for assignment.
