Today in White Sox History: September 23
Jim Scott kicks off a winning streak that stretches the remainder for the season
1915
Despite a strong record (82-61), the White Sox were anchored in third place in the AL, 14 1⁄2 games behind the 95-45 Boston Red Sox. Nonetheless, the South Siders finished strong, beginning an 11-game winning streak that took them to season’s end.
The first win of the run was a 2-1 squeaker at Washington, as Jim Scott went the distance and even provided the fielder’s choice grounder that brought in Lena Blackburne with the deciding run in the sixth.
Despite the streak, Chicago still finished 10 games behind Boston, and in third place. The White Sox lost on Opening Day 1916, snapping their 11-game run. At the time, it was the third-longest in franchise history and remains tied for the fifth-longest White Sox winning streak ever.
1995
Lance Johnson got six hits in six at-bats in a game at Minnesota. Three of the hits were triples, and he drove in four runs in the 14-4 win. Johnson became the fourth player in team history to go 6-for-6, and the first to ever get three triples in a game. He had 12 total bases for the night.
2017
White Sox slugger José Abreu became the third player in major league history to start his career with four straight seasons of at least 25 home runs and 100 RBIs. The milestone RBI came on a run-scoring ground out off of Kansas City’s Scott Alexander at Guaranteed Rate Field.
José joined Albert Pujois and Joe DiMaggio in accomplishing this rare feat. Pujols, DiMaggio, Abreu, Al Simmons and Ted Williams are the only players to start their careers with four straight seasons of 100 RBIs.
2021
The White Sox beat Cleveland, 7-2, in the opener of a doubleheader, and that win clinched the Central Division title. It was Chicago’s first division win since 2008.
The title also locked up consecutive playoff berths for the first time in franchise history as they made the post season in 2020 as a wild card. Amazingly, the White Sox were the last of the original 16 major league teams to accomplish back-to-back postseasons.
In the win, the White Sox got after things early, with Tim Anderson leading off the game with a home run. The South Siders broke it open with a six-run second inning, in which Luis Robert Jr., Eloy Jiménez and Anderson all hit home runs.
The team ended the year with 93 wins and a playoff loss to Houston in four games.