1993
The divisional championship season began with a night game in Minnesota, and a big 10-5 win over the Twins. Tim Raines had a three-run home run, and scored two runs. The White Sox would wind up winning the division by eight games, compiling 94 victories. Jack McDowell picked up the first of his 22 wins on the year in a six-inning effort.
2002 Mark Buehrle cruised to an easy win in Kansas City, allowing five hits over six innings of a 14-0 whitewash. Paul Konerko scored three times, and he and Magglio
Ordoñez drove in three runs apiece. Down 9-0 to start the eighth inning, the Royals summoned the youngest pitcher in the majors, Miguel Asencio, into the game for his MLB debut. Asencio walked Kenny Lofton on four pitches, then did the same to Ray Durham, Frank Thomas, and Ordoñez. All 16 of Asencio’s pitches were outside the strike zone.
The rookie was removed, replaced by Cory Bailey. Bailey managed to throw a strike — but then walked Konerko to surrender another free run.
2003
After starting the season 0-3, the White Sox won two and then pulled back to .500 with a crazy win over the Tigers, ensuring a sweep. Detroit led, 2-1, in the eighth when Chicago ran off nine runs to pull ahead by the eventual final of 10-2.
The nine Sox runs were scored on just four hits; Magglio Ordoñez had the first hit of the inning (single) and the last (three-run homer).
For Detroit, the loss made them the first team in 40 years to start two seasons in a row with an 0-6 record.
2009
For the first time in new Sox Park history (and the first time since 1982) the White Sox home opener was snowed out.
Players arrived at the park to three inches of snow, with Alexei Ramírez playing and throwing snowballs in what he said was his first experience with it. Groundskeeper Roger Bossard and his crew arrived at the park at 6 a.m. to shovel and hose down the snow to melt it into the drainage system.
The White Sox won the rescheduled opener the next day, 4-2, but dropped the next two of the opening home series to the Royals en route to a 79-83 season.
2011
Adam Dunn underwent an emergency appendectomy with the White Sox on the road in Kansas City, just days after Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday suffered same.
Dunn had gotten off to a terrific start for the 2-2 White Sox, slashing .286/.474/.571 with a homer and five RBIs. Although he pronounced himself fit to at least pinch-hit just a day after his procedure, Dunn would sit out a week and see his hitting evaporate in his first season after signing a mulit-year deal with Chicago. His average dipped as low as .149 before settling at .159. Dunn’s -2.9 WAR remains the worst single season in White Sox history, and some 16% worse than his nearest challenger, and ranks as the 13th-worst in MLB history among hitters.
2012
What a difference a year makes.
Adam Dunn, coming off of the worst season in White Sox history and one of the worst of any MLB hitter, ever, homered on Opening Day to tie a record held by Frank Robinson for most in history (eight). While the White Sox lost against the defending World Series champs in Texas, 3-2, Dunn would go on to swing his season WAR back up 4.5 from 2011 and finish at 1.6. His 41 homers in 2012 would stand as the second-most of his career and remain tied for sixth in White Sox history.
