MINNEAPOLIS — And then there were 20.
After falling behind by eight runs in the first two innings, the White Sox’ franchise-record losing streak reached 20 games with a 13-7 loss Sunday to the Twins. It was the first time during the skid, however, that the Sox scored five or more runs.
With the defeat, their 23rd in their last 24 games, the Sox are a three-game road sweep against the Athletics away from tying the 1961 Phillies’ modern-era record of 23 consecutive losses.
Should they lose all three games Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the Sox would be a loss to the Cubs on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field away from breaking the record.
The Sox who fell to 60 games below .500 at 27-87, have been swept 18 times this season, including in six consecutive series.
With the result Sunday, they joined the 1906 Boston Americans, the 1916 and 1943 A’s and the expansion 1969 Expos with the third-longest streaks in history. The 1988 Orioles have the second-longest at 21 in a row, which is the American League record.
The Sox are on pace for 123.6 losses, which would be worse than the expansion 1962 Mets’ record (120) for most in a season.
The Twins made it look inevitable early on by scoring two runs in the first inning and six in the second.
The Sox rank last in the majors in runs scored and multiple other categories, but they broke out offensively with 12 hits, including two doubles and a single from Andrew Vaughn.
Right-hander Chris Flexen couldn’t finish the second and was charged with eight runs (six earned), seven hits — one of them a fly ball that dropped near left fielder Andrew Benintendi’s feet near the line — and three walks in 1‰ innings.
Rookie second baseman Brooks Baldwin, who had three hits and a walk a day after hitting his first career home run, made a fielding error on a grounder that resulted in two unearned runs and more pitches for Flexen, who fell to 2-11 with a 5.53 ERA and is winless in his last 16 starts.
‘‘It’s the thing we keep bringing up every day after another tough loss, but we’ve just gotta find a way to pull forward and plug through,’’ Flexen said. ‘‘Obviously, we get evaluated on results, and [my] results were pretty miserable.’
One ball deflected off the gloves of center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and Baldwin (on the throw in from Robert) on a triple by Matt Wallner in the second, and another went off the top of shortstop Nicky Lopez’s glove on a line drive by Christian Vazquez in the seventh. Another run scored on a passed ball by catcher Korey Lee.
Bush expected to start Monday
Left-hander Ky Bush is expected to be called up from Triple-A Charlotte for his major league debut when the Sox face the Athletics in Oakland.
The 6-6, 200-pound lefty posted a 2.12 ERA at Double-A Birmingham and has a 6.16 ERA in four games, including two starts, since his promotion to Triple-A Charlotte.
He was acquired from the Angels for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo at last year’s trade deadline.
“That’s just the way it is,” says Grifol, who was trying to halt the Sox’ losing streak at 19 Sunday.
On the occasion of the Sox’ 20-game losing streak, we’ve got questions. Don’t worry, not 20 of them.
In his first start since the trade deadline, Garrett Crochet threw 77 pitches over four innings of one-run ball.
“We’re going to push through it,” White Sox assistant general manager Josh Barfield said.