The White Sox have invented ways to lose games throughout this historically dreadful season but went the standard route Friday night against the Mets.
Right-hander Jonathan Cannon had one bad inning in an otherwise credible start. And the Sox’ offense had just five hits — only one after the third inning — in a routine 5-1 loss before 15,288 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
It was the Sox’ eighth consecutive loss and dropped them to 31-105, one game shy of the franchise record of 106 losses in 1970. The Sox are on pace to finish with a 37-125 record, which would break the major-league mark for losses set by the 1962 Mets (40-120), and a .228 winning percentage, which would break the mark set by the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (36-117, .235).
The Sox’ offense wilted after J.D. Martinez’s home run off Cannon gave the Mets a 4-1 lead in the third inning. After Andrew Benintendi’s leadoff single in the third, Mets starter Tylor Megill (3-5) and relievers Adam Ottavino, Reed Garrett, Phil Maton and Edwin Diaz retired 21 of the last 22 batters.
“It was a tough day offensively,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “The back of the their bullpen did really well. But the at-bats are there. Believe me, there’s no shortage of work or drills that we are not doing in the cage or on the field. Sometimes you don’t get the hits or they don’t fall in, and you can’t get them when you need them. It’s just baseball.”
The Sox lost after taking the lead for the 51st time this season and 41st time after scoring first. They took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Nicky Lopez walked and scored on Benintendi’s double to right-center off Megill.
Cannon (2-9) got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the second with only one run. But a lapse in the third inning proved costly for him. After Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos flied out, Pete Alonso walked on four pitches, Jesse Winker doubled to right-center to break a 1-1 tie and Martinez hit his two-run home run.
“I ended up just losing focus a little bit with two outs,” Cannon said. “Walked Alonso, right on right. Just a mental mistake there. Next thing you know — hit, hit and it’s 4-1. Just got to be a little better locking in with two outs and being over the plate a little more.”
Amaya debut
Jake Amaya, claimed on waivers from the Astros, started at shortstop and became the 60th player the Sox have used this season (31 pitchers, 29 position players).
Amaya went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
“Going through the DFA [designated for assignment] process kind of sucks, but someone else has taken a chance on me, and [I] couldn’t be happier to be here,” Amaya said.
Familiar face
Former Sox pitcher Jose Quintana will start for the Mets on Saturday against right-hander Davis Martin.
Quintana was 50-54 with a 3.51 ERA with the Sox from 2012 to 2017, making the All-Star team in 2016. He was traded to the Cubs for Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease just before the All-Star break in 2017.
He’s 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in three games against his former team, including starts with the Cubs in 2018 (a 13-11 loss) and with the Mets last year (a 6-2 loss).
Avoiding history
The Sox are on pace to break the ’62 Mets’ record, but Sizemore said he doesn’t want the team to focus on avoiding that ignominy.
“I told these guys early on, we’re not focused on the record,” Sizemore said. “We’re focused on just the Mets today . . . one series at a time, and that’s all we can worry about. The record is not anything we can focus on. It’s about getting better, playing good baseball and competing.”
Building off success
Rookie right-hander Nick Nastrini (0-6, 7.04 ERA) will get another start after his impressive performance against the Rangers on Thursday in which he allowed one run and three hits in six innings. He is slated to face the Orioles on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.