One slow step at a time, White Sox march toward record

SAN FRANCISCO — One step at a time, with a loss almost every day, the White Sox march closer to the record.

After Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Giants at Oracle Park, the Sox (30-96) will need to go 14-22 in their final 36 games to avoid tying the 1962 Mets, who finished 40-120 in their first season to set the record for losses in a season. The Sox are offering no resistance, having lost 29 of their last 32.

Under interim manager Grady Sizemore, who took over for Pedro Grifol after his firing Aug. 8, the Sox are 2-7 for a .222 win percentage. They were .239 under Grifol.

Right-hander Jonathan Cannon (2-7) looked as though he’d give the Sox a chance against the Giants (64-63), who had lost five of their last seven. But in the fifth inning, they strung together five straight hits and a sacrifice fly for four runs after Cannon posted four scoreless innings. Matt Chapman led off the sixth with his 20th homer to make it 5-1.

"That’s a huge momentum killer to give up a four spot there," Cannon said. "I have to bear down and get out of that. Some of them were cheap hits but they weren’t great pitches either so it works both ways."

"He had the one inning where they got four runs, but it wasn’t like they were hitting balls hard," Sizemore said. "They were just finding holes, putting it where they needed to put it."

The Sox filled the bases with no outs in the third against lefty Kyle Harrison (7-5) but didn’t score when Lenyn Sosa struck out and Luis Robert Jr. hit into a double play. Andrew Vaughn and Korey Lee opened the fourth with singles, but to no avail.

Robert’s second single, Lee’s double and a sacrifice fly by Miguel Vargas and pinch single by Gavin Sheets closed the Sox’ deficit to 5-3 in the eighth.

The Sox had 11 hits but left 10 runners on base and were 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Lee flied out with runners at second and third to end the game.

"We hit some balls that were right at them," Sizemore said. "We played good defense, ran the bases well. Had one tough inning where they got some lucky hits, but overall I was really happy with the way the guys played."

That’s better, Benny

The eighth-inning rally ended when Andrew Benintendi, who had hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, struck out as a pinch hitter with the tying runs on against Giants submariner Ty Rogers. But Benintendi has been encouraged by a .311 hitting stretch with five homers and four doubles.

“I’m trying to break this down in two seasons at this point,” he said. “Obviously, the first half was terrible. Just trying to capitalize on what I can.

“I’m being more aggressive on pitches where I’m looking in the zone. I’m looking to drive the ball now, as opposed to just finesse something into left field or up the middle.”

Foster demotion may be temporary

All reliever Matt Foster did Friday in his return after Tommy John surgery in 2023 was pitch a perfect inning in a win over the Astros. So it came as a surprise in the clubhouse that Foster was the one optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to make room for waiver claim Enyel De Los Santos.

“It was nothing about his play — we just needed a roster spot for De Los Santos,” Sizemore said. “We didn’t want to send anyone out, but it was a tough call. But as soon as we have an extra spot or someone else goes down, he’ll be the first guy back.”

At Charlotte, Foster has a 2.31 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings over 11 games.

Claimed Saturday from the Yankees, De Los Santos, 28, he has a 4.51 ERA over 214 career relief appearances.

Foster became the 57th player (and 29th pitcher) used by the Sox on Friday, breaking the franchise record of 56 set last season.

This and that

Reliever Justin Anderson has a 1.04 ERA with one hit and five walks allowed in eight appearances this month.

† The Sox are 10-28 against National League teams and 25-59 since the start of last season.