SEATTLE — Erick Fedde summed up another tough night at the ballpark for the Chicago White Sox simply.
“It sucks,” the starting pitcher said Monday at T-Mobile Park. “I don’t have much more for you than that.”
The Sox saw a four-run lead slip away in the last two innings of an 8-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners, ending with a walk-off grand slam by Cal Raleigh in the ninth against reliever Jordan Leasure.
“We let that one get away,” manager Pedro Grifol said.
In the process, the Sox (17-50) became the first team in the majors to lose 50 games this season. Entering Tuesday, the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies were tied for the second-most defeats with 43.
The Sox are on pace to lose 120 games, which would tie the modern major-league record set by the expansion 1962 New York Mets.
Here’s a closer look at some of the bumps along the road to 50 losses for the Sox.
No. 10 (2-10)
When: April 10 at Progressive Field in Cleveland
Score: Guardians 7, Sox 6 (10 innings)
Oddity: Brothers Josh and Bo Naylor homered in the same inning as the Guardians rallied from a five-run deficit. Josh Naylor hit a solo home run with one out in the fourth. And with two outs, Bo Naylor hit a two-run homer, cutting the Sox lead to 5-3. Josh Naylor drove in a run with a double in the 10th to tie the score at 6 before Bo Naylor won it with a walk-off single. Gavin Sheets had five RBIs for the Sox, including a three-run homer.
It was the team’s first game after third baseman Yoán Moncada suffered a left adductor strain. Injuries have been a major factor this season for the Sox, who have spent large amounts of time without Moncada, center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and designated hitter Eloy Jiménez.
Quote: “In reality, this game’s on me. When they give us a 5-0 lead, I can’t let them back in the game. Got to finish strong, that’s expected. I expect that of myself.” — Fedde
No. 20 (3-20)
When: April 23 at Target Field in Minneapolis
Score: Twins 6, Sox 5
Oddity: Jiménez is known for his power, and he hit a three-run homer in the fourth. He later stole the first base of his career, helping the Sox build a 5-2 lead. But the Twins scored twice in the eighth and two more in the ninth.
Byron Buxton tied the game with a home run leading off the ninth against Steven Wilson. Alex Kirilloff drove in the game-winner later in the inning with a two-out single to right. It was the Sox’s fifth straight defeat during a seven-game slide.
Quote: “Every game when you lose is tough. It doesn’t matter if they win by one or by 10, every loss is tough. Every guy in this clubhouse, they want to go out there and do the best that they can do on a daily basis to win games. When you have the lead like that with two big boys (relievers Michael Kopech and Wilson) coming in, it’s even tougher.” — catcher Martín Maldonado
No. 30 (12-30)
When: May 14 at Guaranteed Rate Field
Score: Nationals 6, Sox 3
Oddity: A groundout to third base played a pivotal part in the first game of a doubleheader. Pinch runner Nasim Nuñez displayed aggressiveness on the bases, going from first to third on Luis García Jr.’s grounder to third. Nuñez scored on a single by Keibert Ruiz, giving the Nationals a 4-3 lead. Washington scored two more runs in the inning.
Quote: “That play, you can arm fake and try to get the guy out at second base. But any hesitation whatsoever, he would have been safe at first. He outran the baseball. Good job of baserunning.” — Grifol
No. 40 (15-40)
When: May 27 at Guaranteed Rate Field
Score: Blue Jays 5, Sox 1
Oddity: The loss came during the first winless homestand of at least seven games (0-7) in franchise history. It was also part of a single-season franchise-record 14-game skid. The Sox went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base while falling to 2-16 in series openers. They are now 2-20 after Monday’s loss to the Mariners.
Quote: “(The) biggest thing is scoring points. That’s how you win ballgames. We didn’t cash in.” — first baseman Andrew Vaughn
No. 50 (17-50)
When: Monday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle
Score: Mariners 8, Sox 4
Oddity: Robert (two-run) and Corey Julks (solo) homered to help the Sox build a 4-0 lead. But the momentum began to shift when Dominic Canzone led off the eighth with a homer against Fedde. Raleigh ended it an inning later with his slam. It’s the 24th time the Sox have lost after leading this season.
Quote: “Disappointing, to say the least.” — Kopech after allowing three of the four runs in the game-tying eighth
