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CHICAGO — Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker slammed consecutive home runs right out of the gate, propelling the New York Mets to a 5-3 victory over the struggling Chicago White Sox on Saturday night, equating Chicago’s loss tally with their all-time highest at 106.
The White Sox (31-106) have now fallen in their ninth consecutive game, matching their 1970 record for the most losses in a season. The team’s performance post-All-Star break is grim, showing a record of 4-35, and they are flirting with surpassing the modern MLB record of 120 losses, set by the 1962 Mets.
ESPN Stats & Information points out that the White Sox’s current winning percentage of .226 could potentially set a new low for the worst in American League history, surpassing the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics’ .235.
“It seems like everything’s working against us,” said White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore. “We’re just looking for that break to help lift spirits in the locker room.”
On the flip side, the Mets (72-64) are on a winning streak, securing their third consecutive victory and inching two games closer to snagging the final NL wild card from Atlanta. With recents wins, they’re now eight games above .500, a first for them this season.
Alonso’s two-run homer off Davis Martin marked his 30th of the season, continuing his trend of hitting 30 or more homers in five out of his six MLB seasons, all played with the Mets. Despite the short 2020 season, he managed 16 homers in just 57 games. Currently, Alonso sits third in the Mets’ all-time home run leaderboard with 222 homers.
Winker, maintaining his hot streak, racked up three hits for the second consecutive game, contributing two RBIs. Alonso himself clinched an additional single and scored another run.
From the White Sox camp, Andrew Benintendi picked up two hits while Gavin Sheets, Miguel Vargas, and Corey Julks each brought in runs.
Mets’ Jose Butto, filling in for closer Edwin Diaz, faced a tense ninth inning but managed to secure his third save despite allowing a run and a couple of hits.
Regarding his team’s resilience, Sizemore commented, “They’re not quitting. They’re still fighting hard. We just wish we could catch some breaks.”
This report includes information from The Associated Press.