CHICAGO (AP) — Andrew Benintendi hit a leadoff homer in the ninth inning, and the Chicago White Sox stopped a 16-game home losing streak by edging the Oakland Athletics 7-6 on Saturday night.
Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., Nicky Lopez and Lenyn Sosa each had three hits for Chicago, which had dropped four in a row overall. Lopez finished with three RBIs.
The home slide was a franchise record. At 34-115, the White Sox are hoping to avoid the majors’ post-1900 record for losses — 120 by the 1962 New York Mets in their inaugural season.
Chicago carried a 6-3 lead into the ninth, but Oakland rallied against Justin Anderson. Two runs scored on an error on Sosa at third. Zack Gelof hit a tying RBI single off Gus Varland, but Shea Langeliers was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Zach DeLoach.
Varland (1-0) then escaped the jam by retiring Tyler Soderstrom on a grounder to third before Max Schuemann popped out.
Benintendi then closed it out with his 17th homer, a drive to right on a 1-2 slider from Hogan Harris (4-4).
Gelof and Brent Rooker each had three hits for Oakland, which had won three of four. J.T. Ginn permitted 10 hits and three runs in four innings.
Chicago jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Lopez hit a two-run single in the second, and Gavin Sheets connected for his ninth homer in the third.
Chris Flexen struck out eight in five scoreless innings for the White Sox. The right-hander allowed six hits and walked two.
Flexen was in good position to get his first win since May 8, but Oakland rallied against Chicago’s bullpen.
Lawrence Butler was walked by Chad Kuhl with the bases loaded in the sixth, and Rooker’s two-run single tied it at 3.
The White Sox responded with three straight runs. Benintendi hit an RBI single in a two-run seventh, and Lopez singled home DeLoach in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: Reinstated C/1B Soderstrom from the 10-day injured list. Soderstrom (left wrist bone bruise) last played on July 9 before starting Saturday, and manager Mark Kotsay said he expects him to get “the bulk of the first base reps” moving forward. INF Armando Alvarez was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
UP NEXT
LHP JP Sears (11-10, 4.18 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for Oakland in the series finale Sunday. White Sox RHP Sean Burke (0-0, 0.00) is set to make his first career start and second appearance.
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