Today in White Sox History: May 3
Liriano throws a no-no, in a Sox Park first
1968
It’s a dubious record, one that Tommy McCraw wishes never was set.
In the third inning of a game at Comiskey Park, McCraw made three errors against the New York Yankees. Two of them occurred when he couldn’t field ground balls, and the third was on a throwing error. New York scored all of their runs in that frame, beating the Sox, 3-2. All the runs were unearned, of course.
2005
With a comeback win over Kansas City, 5-4, the White Sox established a major league record by holding a lead in their first 26 games of the season. That broke the old mark, set by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
After trailing all game, the White Sox took the lead on a Carl Everett double to right-center, scoring Scott Podsednik and Tadahito Iguchi with the eventual deciding tallies. The win improved Chicago to an MLB-best 19-7 record.
The White Sox would extend this record to 37 before playing a game in which they failed to hold a lead, in a May 15 loss, 6-2, to the Orioles at U.S. Cellular Field.
2011
A moribund Minnesota club stumbled into 42° Chicago and saw its starter, Francisco Liriano, toss a no-hitter at the punchless White Sox in a 1-0 squeaker.
Lirano shook hands with danger all night, walking six White Sox and punching out two. Even after the shutout, Liriano’s ERA stood at 6.61. Only one White Sox batter, reached as far as second base — Juan Pierre, after a walk and stolen base in the fourth inning. Chicago’s Edwin Jackson pitched nearly as well as Minny’s southpaw, giving up six hits but just one walk.
Believe it or not, that gem was the first no-hitter thrown by an opposing pitcher in the history of New Sox Park, at the time in its 20th season. The next summer, Liriano was dealt to the White Sox in attempt to fortify Chicago’s ill-fated division lead.