ANAHEIM, Calif. — The White Sox worked four innings of overtime to achieve loss No. 117 Wednesday. In a season that can’t end soon enough, the Sox dragged out the inevitable in a 4-3, walk-off loss to the Angels in 13 innings.
Jordyn Adams’ RBI single against Jairo Iriarte that glanced off third baseman Miguel Vargas’ glove scored Eric Wagaman to end it.
At 36-117, the Sox ticked closer toward tying the 1962 Mets’ record 120 losses. The 2003 Tigers own the American League record for most losses with 119.
“We get the same question every day,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said of the record. “We’re just focused on one game at a time, one series at a time. Everything else is irrelevant.”
The Sox tied the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics for the third most losses in the modern era and needs to finish 7-2 to avoid the Mets’ mark.
Missing a chance to win a second consecutive series after taking a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning, the Sox scored in the 10th on Vargas’ sacrifice fly against Carson Fulmer and the 11th on Andrew Benintendi’s RBI single but came up empty in the 12th when Guillo Zuniga retired Korey Lee and Vargas with pinch runner Yoan Moncada at third.
Jared Shuster, Gus Varland and Prelander Berroa opened with seven combined scoreless innings in a bullpen game for the Sox, who led 1-0 into the eighth on Andrew Vaughn’s 19th homer against Jack Kochanowicz in the fourth.
The Angels tied it in the eighth against Justin Anderson on Taylor Ward’s RBI single off the glove of shortstop Nicky Lopez.
“We had opportunities, didn’t capitalize,” Sizemore said. “Had a couple mistakes, too. We had some missed signs today, some miscues on the bases and didn’t do the little things we need to do.”
Moncada appears
Yoan Moncada returned to the Sox from his rehab assignment Monday but the third baseman hasn’t started since Monday. He entered Wednesday’s game as a pinch runner and struck out with the bases loaded as the DH in the 13th.
When Moncada starts, Sizemore wouldn’t say. The Sox are off Thursday before opening a three-game series in San Diego.
“Still trying to get [Bryan] Ramos and [Miguel] Vargas reps at third,” Sizemore said Wednesday. “I know we’re going to have these guys next year, they’re part of our future. Whereas we’re not really sure how Moncada fits into our future.”
Moncada has a $25 million club option that won’t be picked up, and a $5 million buyout the Sox have to pay.
Burke’s first impressions
Righty-hander Sean Burke called his major league debut against the Guardians last Tuesday, in which he pitched three innings in relief without allowing a run, “the best day of his life.”
“It was something I was chasing since I was four or five years old, maybe younger than that when my grandma was propping me up against the couch throwing me baseballs, so it was pretty gratifying,” Burke told the Sun-Times Wednesday.
His first start Saturday against the Athletics, in which he pitched five innings of two-run ball to earn the win in a 4-3 Sox victory, was a close second.
“The start was cool. It was awesome, too,” Burke said. “It felt more normal. It was nice coming out of the bullpen and getting a feel for everything before my start.”
Burke has two more starts left, including Sunday at San Diego to conclude a six-game road trip.
So far, so good.
“It’s good to get off on the right foot,” he said. “Still a lot of work to do, but having success early against two good teams is good for the confidence.”