Today in White Sox History: May 10

1909

The White Sox knock off Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators, 1-0, in 11 innings. Johnson suffered his second straight 1-0 loss. By the end of 1909, he’d have 10 losses by shutouts, which will be more than any other pitcher in the 20th Century. It is also a record-tying third straight 1-0 loss, matching the St. Louis Browns (also in 1909).

1910

White Sox third baseman Bill Purtell became the first big league player to strike out twice in the same inning. Walter Johnson got him both times in the sixth inning in a game at Washington. Between Purtell’s outs, however, the Sox batted around and wound up winning the game, 10-3. The South Siders tagged Johnson with seven runs over five innings.

The loss dropped Johnson to 2-5. The Washington Post suggested after this game that the team should “trade this phenom for a couple of good fielders.”

1913

Continuing this improbable Walter Johnson theme today, The Big Train tossed a two-hitter at the White Sox, extending his consecutive scoreless innings to 52 2⁄3.

1985

With the score tied, 1-1, in the third inning, Detroit’s Kirk Gibson clouted a rooftop home run off of future Hall-of-Famer Tom Seaver. That homer would stand up in a 3-1 Tigers win, dropping the upstart White Sox to 12-12.

2002

It was one of the worst defeats in the history of the franchise. On this night in Anaheim, the White Sox got obliterated, 19-0, against the Angels. Danny Wright, Matt Ginter and Mike Porzio were the pitchers the Angels clubbed apart. Wright gave up eight earned runs, Ginter two and Porzio six.

The game remains the most lopsided shutout in White Sox history, and ties with a 20-1 loss to Minnesota in 2009 as the most lopsided loss in franchise history.