SAN DIEGO – Lenyn Sosa hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to tie the game, but the Chicago White Sox lost their 118th game when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a double to start the 10th inning to give the San Diego Padres a 3-2 win Friday night.
“He had a good sinker, so I stayed away from that,” Tatis said. “But then he went for the slider and I just stayed back and put the barrel on the ball.”
Chicago (36-118) needs to finish 7-1 in its final eight games to avoid matching the 1900 record of 120 losses set by the New York Mets, who expanded to the U.S. in 1962. The White Sox are one loss away from matching the American League record set by the Detroit Tigers in 2003 and, despite the comeback, fell to 0-100 when trailing after eight innings. Chicago is 9-47 since the All-Star break.
The 1899 Cleveland Spiders hold the major league losing record at 20-134.
San Diego (88-66) maintained its two-game lead over Arizona and secured the best NL wild card.
“We want it more than ever,” Tatis said. “We’re going to give it our all no matter what. We know the numbers, the teams we’re playing against, and the pressure is a little bit higher. But it looks like we can handle it.”
Suarez made his sixth save in 39 chances, including three of his last six.
Gavin Sheets struck out nine with two outs in the ninth inning, and Sosa capped his nine-pitch at-bat by throwing a 100.4 mph fastball over the middle of the plate into the left-center field seats. It was the seventh triple-digit pitch of the at-bat by Suarez, who reached 100 mph on 12 of 27 pitches.
“We continue to build our confidence. We continue to show that we can compete with the best teams and are always on top of our game,” said White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore.
Tyler Wade, who came on as a relief runner in the ninth inning, struck out Bryan Ramos at the plate in the tenth inning as he attempted to score from third base on a grounder by Dominic Fletcher to second base against Adrian Morejon (3-2).
With automatic runner Brandon Lockridge on second base in the bottom half, Tatis hit an opposite-field drive against Justin Anderson (1-2) that bounced three times to the right-center field wall, scoring his second walk-off hit.
Rookie Jackson Merrill hit a two-run double against Gus Varland in the sixth inning.
“I’m a see-ball-and-hit guy, so I’m not thinking about the other team and what they’re trying to throw to me,” Merrill said. “I’m thinking about what I’m trying to do. I just swung at a slider, broke my bat and hit a bloop double.”
Padres starter Joe Musgrove had a season-high nine strikeouts and allowed four hits in six innings.
“He was great,” said Padres manager Mike Shildt. “He was in control the whole time.”
Garrett Crochet allowed one hit and had eight strikeouts in four innings and 52 pitches. He has 203 strikeouts, reaching 200 for the first time, and has pitched 142 innings.
“It’s a cool achievement,” he said.
Chicago limits Crochet’s innings.
“He’s disgusting,” Merrill said. “He hits with a sinker and a four-seam cutter. He’s nasty.”
TRAINING ROOM
Padres: SS Ha-Seong Kim (right shoulder) has resumed his throwing program, with no guarantee he will return before the end of the regular season.
Next
White Sox RHP Chris Flexen (2-14, 5.09 ERA) starts on Saturday against Padres LHP Martín Pérez (4-5, 4.36 ERA).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
