White Sox lose record 20th consecutive game started by Flexen

The Chicago White Sox’s latest losing streak extended to 11 games with a 13-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, their 20th consecutive loss, with Chris Flexen setting a new baseball record (since 1900) for consecutive losses in games by a pitcher, previously held by Bob Groom of the Washington Nationals.

After an 0-10 home streak, Chicago now has a 31-108 record, the third-longest losing streak of the season, following a 21-game stretch from July 10 to Aug. 5 and a 14-game stretch from May 22 to June 6. The White Sox would need to improve to 12-11 to avoid tying the losing record set in 1900 by the 1962 New York Mets, who were 40-120.

Chicago is on pace to finish the season with a 36-126 record, which would be the second-worst loss behind the 1899 Cleveland Spiders’ 20-134 record. According to ESPN’s stats & Note, the White Sox are 4-41 in their last 45 games, which is their worst record in a 45-game span since 1916, when the Philadelphia Athletics won the season.

Flexen (2-14) has allowed three runs and seven hits in three innings and is 0-11 with a 5.73 ERA in 21 appearances (20 starts) since a May 8 win at Tampa Bay. He came from a tie with Bob Groom of the Washington Nationals to single-handedly own the longest losing streak by a single pitcher since 1900, according to ESPN Stats. & Information. The Nationals have lost 19 consecutive games started by Groom in 1909. Flexen is also two such losses ahead of the Brewers’ Chris Capuano, who was 0-13 with a 6.12 ERA for Milwaukee in 23 appearances (18 starts) from May 13, 2007, to June 3, 2010, missing 2008 and ’09 because of Tommy John surgery.

“Every time I take the ball, I expect to go out and be competitive, to have strong performances,” Flexen said. “I don’t think many of them were great, a few good starts; but overall, my performance was very disappointing.”

Cedric Mullins hit a home run with three RBIs and Austin Slater and Gunnar Henderson each had three RBIs for Baltimore, which overcame a two-game deficit to start a six-game home streak and improve to 5-0 against Chicago this season.

Henderson led off the first inning with a single into the right-center field, tying Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) and Miguel Tejada (2004) for most home runs (34) among Baltimore shortstops.

Baltimore’s leadoff batter scored in each of the first six innings for the first time since July 4, 1997, an 11-8 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Game 2 of a doubleheader. The Orioles went 7-for-23 with runners in scoring position and moved within a point percentage point of the American League East-leading New York Yankees.

The Orioles had their best offensive day since scoring a season-high 17 runs on June 20 against the Yankees, and Baltimore’s 18 hits were their best since scoring 18 runs against the Houston Astros on June 21.

“I think that’s the offense that we feel is ours and it was cool to see how it came out today,” Slater said.

This report uses information from the Associated Press.