Rookie right-hander Jonathan Cannon stood up and halted losing streaks of 12, 14 and 21 games this season.
His task on a damp Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field was even more formidable: Make a stand against history.
Taking a 36-120 record into their game against the 63-93 Angels, the ill-fated Sox came from behind for a 3-2 victory to avoid the record for most losses in a season owned by the 40-120 New York Mets of 1962.
Before this win, the Sox (37-120) were 0-94 when trailing after seven innings.
Cannon couldn’t stay out of an embarrassing 2024 Sox snapshot when a pop-up fell between him and three teammates in the fifth, but he did everything he could by pitching six innings of three-hit ball with seven strikeouts and one walk, exiting a scoreless duel with Angels righty Jack Kochanowicz.
Eric Wagaman’s RBI double against Gus Varland in the seventh gave the Angels a 1-0 lead and Jack Lopez’ first career homer against Prelander Berrora, made it 2-0. By that time, “sell the team” chants had broken out multiple times at a place where the Sox’ .256 home winning percentage (20-58) was the second worst in history behind the 1939 St. Louis Browns (.234, 18-59).
Consecutive doubles by Zach DeLoach and pinch hitter Bryan Ramos in the eighth cut the Angels lead to 2-1, and second baseman Jack Lopez’ misplay on Luis Robert’s RBI pop fly for a single tied it. Andrew Benintendi’s RBI single gave the Sox a 3-2 lead.
A paid crowd of 17,606, decent by Sox standards for a rainy school night in September, was supportive early on at a park where the Sox had lost 28 of their previous 31 games including a franchise record 16-game losing streak from Aug. 13 through Sept. 13.
But the tone turned abruptly and loudly when the Angels’ Mickey Moniak’s pop-up fell between Cannon, catcher Chuckie Robinson and corner infielders Gavin Sheets and Miguel Vargas with one out in the fifth, the worst kind of TV highlight for a team in this kind of season, particularly on this night.
“Sell the team” chants and boos broke out as Moniak stole second base, but subsided when Wagaman flied out and Niko Kavadas struck out to end the inning.
That rained delayed the start by 65 minutes only seemed to delay what will go down barring an improbable six-game winning streak to end the season. (The Sox’ longest winning streak is four.)
It’s been so bad for all involved – players, staff, front office, vendors, broadcasters and fans included– that general manager Chris Getz basically apologized to the fans before the game. Facing one of the larger media gatherings he’s seen in his first year on the job, Getz opened by acknowledging the record and thanking fans.
“It’s really important to do a heartfelt thanks to our fans that have been with us through this very difficult, painful season,” Getz said. “They don’t deserve this. It’s been very trying for me personally. And our staff and everyone in this organization.”
The Sox had lost five straight, 23 of 28, 53 of 62 and 59 of 71 going into this one. In their most recent loss to the Padres Sunday, they broke the 2003 Detroit Tigers’ American League record of 119 losses in a season.
“Obviously this isn’t the kind of attention we want,” Sheets said. “This is my fourth year in a row here. I’ve had the really good attention [playing for the 2021 AL Central champions] and now the really bad attention. Hopefully this is something we move on from.”
Cannon, who was pulled after 78 pitches before his last scheduled start on the last day of the season in Detroit, has displayed some moxie for a rooking, earning a three-inning save June 7 against the Red Sox to stop a 14-game losing streak, getting the win to stop a 12-game skidder on Sept. 4 at Baltimore a putting an end to an American League record 21-game streak in Oakland on Aug. 6.
Cannon, 4-10 with a 4.37 ERA and considered a viable building block in the rotation, had a 6.03 ERA in his previous seven starts.