The White Sox lose for the ninth time in a row and are tied with the 1970 team with a record of 106 losses

CHICAGO – Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning and the New York Mets beat the struggling White Sox 5-3 on Saturday night, handing Chicago its 106th loss and tying a franchise record.

The White Sox (31-106) suffered their ninth consecutive loss, matching their 1970 record for most losses in a season. Chicago is 4-35 since the All-Star break and is on pace to break the modern major league record for most losses – 120 losses by the Mets, who entered expansion in 1962.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the White Sox are on pace to finish the season with the worst winning percentage in American League history, with a winning percentage of just .226, which would surpass the Philadelphia Athletics' record low of .235 set in 1916.

“A lot of things went against us,” said White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore. “We need this break to boost morale in the locker room.”

The Mets (72-64) won for the third straight season and are now within two games of Atlanta, which holds the final NL wild card spot. New York has won eight of 12 games and is eight games above .500 for the first time this season.

Alonso's two-run drive against Davis Martin was his 30th home run, giving him 30 or more home runs in five of his six major league seasons, all with the Mets. The four-time All-Star finished the pandemic-shortened 2020 season with 16 in 57 games.

Alonso, 29, is third on the Mets' career list with 222 home runs.

Winker had three hits and two RBIs for the second straight game. Alonso added a single and scored twice.

Andrew Benintendi had two hits for Chicago and Gavin Sheets, Miguel Vargas and Corey Julks scored runs.

Jose Butto, pitching a shaky ninth inning in place of Mets closer Edwin Diaz, allowed a double by Vargas and singles by Jacob Amaya and Luis Robert Jr. but allowed one run. With two runners on, the right-hander put Benintendi out of action with a comebacker for his third save.

“They don't give up. They don't give up,” Sizemore said of his team. “But it would be nice if a few of those balls dropped, a few bleeders or something.”

This report uses information from the Associated Press.