Ninety-four, actually, but the losses on May 9 might as well have counted twice. In La Russa, Lachemann was facing his former teammate and close friend. They played together in 1968, in the Oakland organization, and Lachemann would later coach for La Russa with the Athletics and the Cardinals.

“In the minors I would get to the ballpark at 2 p.m.; Lach got there at noon,” La Russa said. “This guy loved the game more than anybody I’ve ever been around.”

The Brewers, then in the A.L. East, had beaten the White Sox on May 7 to even their record at 13-13. But by then, in the era before wild cards, their playoff hopes were all but gone. Paul Molitor, their star third baseman, was out for the season with an elbow injury, and the Detroit Tigers were on their way to a 35-5 start and a championship.

The White Sox had won the A.L. West in 1983 for their first postseason trip in 24 years. But they entered the game just 12-15, and they finished the season tied for fifth at 74-88.

“We were the toast of the town,” La Russa said. “And I did not do a good job of starting the club at zero.”

La Russa expected better. The White Sox had good pitching and had upgraded their 1969 Mets icons that winter: They traded Jerry Koosman to Philadelphia for a reliever and selected Seaver in the free-agent compensation pool when another reliever signed with Toronto.

The Mets, in a colossal blunder, had left Seaver, then 39, unprotected.

Seaver, who had started 34 games for the 1983 Mets with a 3.55 earned run average, had a memorable New York moment as a member of the White Sox in 1985, earning his 300th career win in a game at Yankee Stadium. His remarkable performance on May 9, 1984, helped him get there.