Sox' bats still dormant, losing to Indians 3-2

Posted April 16, 2010 11:00 pm

Scot Gregor

CLEVELAND - There was a Jake Peavy sighting at Progressive Field on Saturday. As for the White Sox' offense, the search continues.

"Our offense has to be better because we're going to have a lot of games breaking our heart late in games because we don't score that many runs," irritated manager Ozzie Guillen said after the Sox fell to the Indians 3-2, their third straight loss.

"We can't go out there every day and guys are throwing perfect games and don't get any cushion to make mistakes," Guillen continued. "It seems like it's not fair for our pitching staff that they make one mistake and lose the game for a week and a half, two weeks. We've had excitement here and there, but we're not swinging the bat well at all.''

Shaking off two subpar starts to open the season, Peavy put it all together against Cleveland and had nothing to show for it.

"Obviously, those are tough losses," Peavy said after pitching 71/3 innings and allowing 2 runs on 4 hits. "But I felt way better the way I executed pitches all day. I made pitches until I had to, up until that last pitch. But a loss is a loss."

Peavy's last pitch was a two-seam fastball to Asdrubal Cabrera with one out in the eighth inning and the White Sox clinging to a 2-1 lead.

"Trying to go up and in," Peavy said. "I still believe it was the right pitch. It just ran down the middle of the plate. Stuff happens."

Cabrera hit the pitch over the right-field fence to tie the game and Matt Thornton came on in relief.

The Sox' bullpen hadn't allowed a run over the last 191/3 innings, but the streak ended when Grady Sizemore greeted Thornton with a single and Shin-Soo Choo followed with a run-scoring double that decided the outcome.

Peavy had 104 pitches after 7 innings, but Guillen wanted the right-hander to face the two Cleveland hitters in the eighth.

The first, No. 9 hitter Michael Brantley, grounded out to first baseman Paul Konerko. That brought the switch-hitting Cabrera to the plate, and he was hitting .194 against right-handers this season compared to .313 against leftys.

"That was the plan, no matter what," Guillen said of sticking with Peavy. "They had (right-handed hitters Austin) Kearns and (Matt) LaPorta on the bench and I didn't want them to face Matt.

"It didn't work out too good but like I said, with the offense going that way every pitch is big.''

Peavy couldn't hold a 2-1 lead and Thornton got the loss but Guillen went right after the offense, which has scored a grand total of 7 runs during the losing skid.

"Our offense has to contribute a little better," Guillen said. "There's a lot of bad things happening to us offensively, but in the meanwhile we're not swinging the bats good.''

With just 5 hits Saturday against Indians starter Jake Westbrook and relievers Jensen Lewis and Chris Perez, the White Sox' batting average dropped to a sickly .216.

"We are not hitting great and you know, we are just not finding ways to win," second baseman Gordon Beckham said. " I think that's frustrating because I think we are a good team and it's almost like we are waiting to lose the game. You know what I'm saying? It's frustrating but we have to come back tomorrow and do the same thing.

"We fought hard today and scratched to get back into it but it didn't work out for us. Peav pitch a (heck) of a game. What can you say?"

In regards to the Sox' offense, not much.

Scot Gregor's game tracker

Indians 3, White Sox 2

Slumping: It's a lengthy list, headed by Carlos Quentin (2-for-24), Alexei Ramirez (4-for-25), Mark Kotsay (2-for-20) and A.J. Pierzynski (2-for-15).

Close calls: Eight of the Sox' first 12 games have been decided by 2 runs or less, and they are 2-6.

Double dipping: The White Sox have been victimized by double plays eight times in the last four games.

Head's up: Cleveland's Shin Soo-Choo appeared to have an RBI double in the first inning, but he was called out after the Sox appealed he missed first base. Choo was credited with a fielder's choice RBI.

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