OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox snapped their American League record-tying losing streak at 21 games on Tuesday night, beating the Oakland Athletics 5-1.
Jonathan Cannon gave up one run over six innings to end his personal drought while helping the White Sox to their first victory since early July.
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Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi, right, celebrates with Gavin Sheets, left, after hitting a two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox shortstop Nicky Lopez throws to first for the out on Oakland Athletics' JJ Bleday during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas throws to first for the out on Oakland Athletics' Max Schuemann during the seventh inning of a baseball game,Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Lenyn Sosa, right, watches as Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, left, is unable to catch a wild pitch thrown by Michel Otañez during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. Brooks Baldwin scored on the play. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Oakland Athletics' Zack Gelof strikes out against the Chicago White Sox to end the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Vaughn hits an RBI single against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox fans cheer on during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi, right, celebrates with third base coach Eddie Rodriguez after hitting a two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. crashes into the wall while catching a fly ball hit by Oakland Athletics' Max Schuemann during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Brooks Baldwin (27) scores on a wild pitch thrown by Oakland Athletics pitcher Michel Otañez during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi watches his two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
“It was just really good to get this behind us. I thought we played a clean game today,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. "Any time you win it’s great. Any time you win when you lose 21 in a row it’s even better. I’m proud of these guys.”
Chicago on Monday matched the longest losing streak since the 1988 Baltimore Orioles lost 21 in a row, falling to the Athletics 5-1. The NL record since 1900 is held by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 23 straight.
The major league low belongs to the 1889 Louisville Colonels, an American Association team that lost 26 consecutive games during a 27-111 season.
Even with the victory, the White Sox did little celebrating. They exchanged high-fives leaving the field then had soft music playing in the clubhouse afterward.
“I think it’s just a sigh of relief,” Cannon said. “We’re all major league players, we got a lot of confidence in ourselves to go out and do our jobs every night. Just wasn’t working out for us. Proud we could put it together tonight. It was a team effort all around.”
Benintendi hit his second two-run home run in three days off a fastball from A’s starter Ross Stripling down the right field line into the stands in the fourth inning. Benintendi also doubled and scored in the ninth.
After Zack Gelof cut the lead in half with his 14th home run of the season in the fourth, the White Sox scored twice in the sixth to pull away.
Brooks Baldwin singled and scored on a wild pitch, and Andrew Vaughn hit an RBI single to make it 4-1.
Cannon (2-5) had been winless in six road starts this season. The rookie right-hander allowed six hits and had five strikeouts with two walks for the win, his first since July 10.
“I think Cannon’s got that ‘it’ factor, and what I mean by that is he’s got that will to succeed,” Grifol said. “It almost looked like this wasn’t going to continue on his watch. That’s what it felt like.”
Dominic Leone and Chad Kuhl retired all six batters they faced, and John Brebbia pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to finish it.
Stripling (2-11) allowed four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
During warmups, Taylor Swift’s song “22” played over the loudspeakers at the Coliseum in a taunting fashion as a crowd of 5,867 danced and sang along.
Chicago, which had last won on July 10 in a doubleheader opener against Minnesota, moved to 28-88. The White Sox have been held to one run or none 32 times this season.
“They played a good, clean game tonight and we didn’t generate any offense,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “For that club over there, I’m sure they’re excited about ending their losing streak and getting a win.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: Closer Mason Miller is expected to be activated on Wednesday, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Miller has been sidelined with a broken finger on his left hand since July 23. … RHP Dany Jiménez (strained left oblique) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas.
UP NEXT
Athletics RHP Joey Estes (5-4, 4.77 ERA) faces the White Sox for the first time in his career Wednesday. Estes is unbeaten in six starts this season at the Coliseum. Chicago RHP Davis Martin (0-1, 7.11) will make his second start since missing all of 2023 following Tommy John surgery.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi, right, celebrates with Gavin Sheets, left, after hitting a two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox shortstop Nicky Lopez throws to first for the out on Oakland Athletics' JJ Bleday during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas throws to first for the out on Oakland Athletics' Max Schuemann during the seventh inning of a baseball game,Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Lenyn Sosa, right, watches as Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, left, is unable to catch a wild pitch thrown by Michel Otañez during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. Brooks Baldwin scored on the play. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Oakland Athletics' Zack Gelof strikes out against the Chicago White Sox to end the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Vaughn hits an RBI single against the Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox fans cheer on during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi, right, celebrates with third base coach Eddie Rodriguez after hitting a two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. crashes into the wall while catching a fly ball hit by Oakland Athletics' Max Schuemann during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Brooks Baldwin (27) scores on a wild pitch thrown by Oakland Athletics pitcher Michel Otañez during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Chicago White Sox's Andrew Benintendi watches his two-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The price of bitcoin surged to over $109,000 early Monday, just hours ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, as a pumped up cryptocurrency industry bets he'll take action soon after returning to the White House.
Once a skeptic who said a few years ago that bitcoin “ seems like a scam,” Trump has embraced digital currencies with a convert’s zeal. He's launched a new cryptocurrency venture and vowed on the campaign trail to take steps early in his presidency to make the U.S. into the “crypto capital” of the world.
His promises including creating a U.S. crypto stockpile, enacting industry-friendly regulation and event appointing a crypto “czar” for his administration.
“You’re going to be very happy with me,” Trump told crypto-enthusiasts at a bitcoin conference last summer.
Bitcoin is the world’s most popular cryptocurrency and was created in 2009 as a kind of electronic cash uncontrolled by banks or governments. It and newer forms of cryptocurrencies have moved from the financial fringes to the mainstream in wild fits and starts.
The highly volatile nature of cryptocurrencies as well as their use by criminals, scammers and rogue nations, has attracted plenty of critics, who say the digital currencies have limited utility and often are just Ponzi schemes.
But crypto has so far defied naysayers and survived multiple prolonged price drops in its short lifespan. Wealthy players in the crypto industry, which felt unfairly targeted by the Biden administration, spent heavily to help Trump win November’s election. Bitcoin has surged in price since Trump's victory, topping $100,000 for the first time last month before briefly sliding down to about $90,000. On Friday, it rose about 5%. It jumped more than $9,000 early Monday, according to CoinDesk.
Two years ago, bitcoin was trading at about $20,000.
Trump’s picks for key cabinet and regulatory positions are stocked with crypto supporters, including his choice to lead the Treasury and Commerce departments and the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Key industry players held a first ever "Crypto Ball” on Friday to celebrate the first “crypto president." The event was sold out, with tickets costing several thousand dollars.
Here’s a look at some detailed action Trump might take in the early days of his administration:
As a candidate Trump promised that he would create a special advisory council to provide guidance on creating “clear” and “straightforward” regulations on crypto within the first 100 days of his presidency.
Details about the council and its membership are still unclear, but after winning November’s election, Trump named tech executive and venture capitalist David Sacks to be the administration’s crypto “czar.” Trump also announced in late December that former North Carolina congressional candidate Bo Hines will be the executive director of the “Presidential Council of Advisers for Digital Assets.”
At last year’s bitcoin conference, Trump told crypto supporters that new regulations “will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry.” Trump's pick to lead the SEC, Paul Atkins, has been a strong advocate for cryptocurrencies.
Crypto investors and companies chafed as what they said was a hostile Biden administration that went overboard in unfair enforcement actions and accounting policies that have stifled innovation in the industry — particularly at the hands of outgoing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.
“As far as general expectations from the Trump Administration, I think one of the best things to bet on is a tone change at the SEC,” said Peter Van Valkenburgh, the executive director of the advocacy group Coin Center.
Gensler, who is set to leave as Trump takes office, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg that he’s proud of his office’s actions to police the crypto industry, which he said is “rife with bad actors.”
Trump also promised that as president he’ll ensure the U.S. government stockpiles bitcoin, much like it already does with gold. At the bitcoin conference earlier this summer, Trump said it the U.S. government would keep, rather than auction off, the billions of dollars in bitcoin it has seized through law enforcement actions.
Crypto advocates have posted a draft executive order online that would establish a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” as a “permanent national asset” to be administered by the Treasury Department through its Exchange Stabilization Fund. The draft order calls for the Treasury Department to eventually hold at least $21 billion in bitcoin.
Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming has proposed legislation mandating the U.S. government stockpile bitcoin, which advocates said would help diversify government holdings and hedge against financial risks. Critics say bitcoin’s volatility make it a poor choice as a reserve asset.
Creating such a stockpile would also be a “giant step in the direction of bitcoin becoming normalized, becoming legitimatized in the eyes of people who don’t yet see it as legitimate,” said Zack Shapiro, an attorney who is head of policy at the Bitcoin Policy Institute.
At the bitcoin conference earlier this year, Trump received loud cheers when he reiterated a promise to commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht, the convicted founder of the drug-selling website Silk Road that used crypto for payments.
Ulbricht’s case has energized some crypto advocates and Libertarian activists, who believe government investigators overreached in building their case against Silk Road.
FILE - Donald Trump speaks at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference July 27, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)