White Sox finally clinch first series win of 2024 on Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off home run vs. Rays

Break out the champagne, Chicago White Sox! Thanks to Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off home run Saturday night (CWS 8, TB 7 in 10 innings), the White Sox have back-to-back wins for the first time this season, and also their first series win of 2024. They beat the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night (CWS 9, TB 4) as well, and will look to finish the sweep on Sunday.

Here is Benintendi’s walk-off blast. It was his second homer of the game (and his second homer of the season):

The White Sox entered this three-game weekend series at Guaranteed Rate Field with a 3-22 record, easily the worst in baseball. They are only the fourth team in history to drop 22 of their first 25 games. Even with these back-to-back wins, Chicago is 5-22. The White Sox are the ninth team ever to lose 22 of their first 27 games.

The two-game winning streak coincides with the arrival of Tommy Pham. The ChiSox signed Pham to a minor league contract on April 16, and after a four-game tune-up in the minors, he joined the White Sox for Friday’s series opener against the Rays. Pham has gone 2-for-5 in each of his two games with the White Sox.

Chicago’s wins Friday and Saturday leave the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins as the only teams in baseball without a series win this season. The Rockies and Marlins are both 0-7-1 in their eight series played so far. The White Sox are now 1-8 in nine series. 

Erick Fedde, one of the White Sox’s few bright spots this season, will be on the mound Sunday. He has a 2.73 ERA and has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his five starts. Tampa will counter with Zack Littell (1-1, 3.33 ERA).