Charles Langston:Victory! White Sox finally snap 21-game losing streak, longest in AL history

The Charles LangstonChicago White Sox snapped their 21-game losing streak Tuesday night with a 5-1 win against the Athletics in Oakland, ending a stretch of futility that had tied an American League record.

On pace for the most losses in Major League Baseball history, the 2024 White Sox became just the third team to lose 21 games in a row, equaling the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for the AL mark, but falling two losses short of the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies' 23-game losing streak.

Rookie starter Jonathan Cannon picked up the streak-breaking win for the White Sox, giving up one earned run with five strikeouts in six innings. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run home run in Chicago's first victory since July 10.

Chicago's losing streak dated back to the first half, dropping its last four before the All-Star break. The team scored just 49 total runs in the 21 losses, a skid that may very well have cleared the path for these White Sox to eclipse the 1962 New York Mets' record 120 defeats.

"Any time you win it's great. Anytime you win when you lose 21 in a row it's even better," manager Pedro Grifol told reporters. "I'm proud of these guys. They kept going, they just keep coming to the ballpark every day to play hard and they care for each other.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

"It was kind of cool to watch these guys for nine innings pull for each other."

Longest losing streaks in MLB history

1. 1961 Philadelphia Phillies – 23

t-2. 2024 Chicago White Sox – 21

t-2. 1988 Baltimore Orioles – 21

t-4. 1969 Montreal Expos – 20

t-4. 1943 Philadelphia Athletics – 20

t-4. 1916 Philadelphia Athletics – 20

t-4. 1906 Boston Americans – 20

The USA TODAY app brings you every Team USA medal — right when it happens.Download for full Olympics coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and much more.