By Woodrow Carroll
The 2022 Major League Baseball season is slightly less than one-third complete and the Chicago White Sox have achieved something noteworthy, or, bizarre.
Thanks to a 5-4, 12-inning, victory over the visiting Chicago Cubs Sunday, May 29, the White Sox improved their season record to 23-23, the 13th time the Sox have reached .500 record this season.
Two games into the season, starting in Detroit, the Sox record was 1-1. After racing to a 6-2 record, the Sox dropped eight straight games. The first four losses, put the Sox at .500, 6-6.
The eight-game slide left the Sox 6-10. From there, the Sox made a bit of a recovery, however, after the Sox climbed to 13-13, they shifted into high-speed neutral.
The White Sox were 13-13, 14-14, 15-15, 16-16, 17-17, 18-18, 19-19, 20-20, 21-21, 22-22 and, after Sunday’s victory over the visiting Cubs, at 23-23. Such numbers and figures could give readers a case of spotsitis if they are not careful. Accentuate the positive: The Sox Sunday victory against the Cubs gave the Sox three victories in four meetings with the rivals this season. The Sox won both games at Wrigley Field in early May.
In the two games with the Cubs last weekend, the Sox never led until the final play Sunday.
In the Saturday game, the North Siders won, 5-1, after racing in front 3-0. The Sox trailed, 1-0 going into the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday and tied the score at one to send the game into extra innings. Even then, the Sox had to come back in the 10th and 11th innings to stay alive.
The Sox this week play in Toronto and return home for a three-game series against Tampa Bay.
The Cubs this week play host to rivals Milwaukee and St. Louis. Through Monday’s Memorial Day doubleheader defeat against visiting Milwaukee, the Cubs’ won-loss record was 19-29 and in fourth place in the five-team National League Central Division.
One pleasing figure for Sox was the attendance for the two games with the Cubs of 75.900, with 37,820 Saturday and 38,020 Sunday. Fans were treated to both good weather and good baseball.
Next week interleague play will start for the White Sox. This year, the American League Central will play the National League West. The Sox’ first opponent will be the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will be in Chicago for three games starting Tuesday June 7.
The Sox will play three of their five NL West opponents on the road although one foe is a split schedule involving the Colorado Rockies. The Sox will play two games in Colorado, July 26-27, and will play two games at Guaranteed Rate Field, September 20-21. Other than the Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks will be the only NL West side the Sox will play solely in Chicago.