BALTIMORE – The losing streak is at 11.

The loss count is 108 – another step closer to the Mets record from 1962, when the team suffered 120 losses in a season.

The only good thing for the White Sox is that this historic season is one day closer to its end.

But their 13-3 loss to the Orioles on Monday came 27 days and 23 games before the season finale on September 29 in Detroit. The Sox (31-108) must finish 12-11 to avoid 120 losses, a herculean task for
a team that has lost for the 41st time in its last 45 games.

This game started like many Sox losses – with an early lead. A sacrifice fly-by Andrew Benintendi and an RBI single from Gavin Sheets in the first inning against right-handers Corbin Burneswho has had problems recently, but not against the Sox, gave them a 2-0 lead.

Jacob Amaya And Nicky Lopez batted with a runner on third in the second and Korey Lee made a double play with runners on the corners in the third inning and missed opportunities for the lowest-scoring offense in the major leagues.

The Orioles Gunnar Henderson started the first inning with a home run against the right-hander Chris Flexen (2-14, 5.36 ERA), who made his 26th start but hasn’t won since May 8. With 34 home runs, Henderson was tied with Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) and Miguel Tejada (2004) for most runs by an Orioles shortstop in a season.

The Orioles (80-59) finally took the lead in the third inning, and a throwing error by the reliever to second base Fraser Ellard in the fifth led to two unearned runs.

Interim Manager Grady Sizemorewho is 3-19 since he took office, Pedro Grifolsaid before the game that he welcomed the challenge of playing against play-off teams because it “forces us to do our best and see what we’re made of.”

After the game, Sizemore admitted: “We didn’t take care of the ball. We were sloppy. We have to be better, especially against this team. Not our best performance.”

“There are definitely worse losses than others,” said Sheets, whose nine multi-hit games since Aug. 7 are the second-most in the American League. “Today was a bad loss. We didn’t play good baseball. Losses are losses, but ones like this hurt a little more.”

Wrong kind of story

Flexen set a major league record for most starts without a win by a pitcher and failed to earn a win for the 20th consecutive season, tying with the former Brewers left-hander Chris Capuanowho had a winning streak in 19 games during the 2007/10 season and was also on the injured list for a time due to Tommy John surgery.

Flexen needed 95 pitches to get through three and a half innings, but he still managed to hold the Orioles to three runs, seven hits and two walks while recording five strikeouts.

Flexen is 0-10 during his winless streak and the Sox are 2-24 in his starts this season.

“I had a few good starts, but overall my performance was very disappointing,” said Flexen.

this and that

Midfielder Luis Robert Jr. and first baseman Andrew Vaughn were given full days off, with Sizemore exempting them from batting practice and pregame work.

Robert, who missed two months earlier in the season with a torn hip flexor, wanted to play but had played in 16 of the last 17 games. Vaughn, who leads the team with 127 games played, has not had a hit in his last 24 at-bats.

• Rookie infielder Brooks Baldwinwho has not played since last Tuesday due to soreness in his right hand, could return to the lineup on Tuesday.