The Chicago White Sox, fresh off the worst season in modern Major League Baseball history, fell just short of earning a new, positive entry into the record books on Tuesday, when they faced the Minnesota Twins. Shane Smith’s start resulted in 5 ⅔ innings of two-run ball in his big-league debut.

However, those runs ended the White Sox’s streak of 28 ⅔ consecutive innings from starting pitchers without allowing an earned run (they had given up two unearned runs). The White Sox now remain one of just four teams in MLB history to open the season with four five-plus inning starts without any earned runs.

It’s crucial to note that such a streak does not necessarily guarantee success: the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers both ended seasons with fewer than 70 wins despite similar streaks.

“Shane Smith strikes out Carlos Correa for his first MLB K! 😤 pic.twitter.com/Oy91pmb4P0” — White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox)

Smith, 24, was the number one pick in last winter’s Rule 5 Draft from the Brewers. He struck out three batters, walked four, and allowed two hits on 73 pitches while averaging 94.9 mph on his fastball.

Unfortunately, the manager’s decision to replace him with Penn Murfee backfired, leading to both inherited runners scoring along with three earned runs of his own.

The White Sox entered the game with a 2-2 record; last season, they recorded their second win only in their 11th contest.