White Sox' bats stay quiet
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The at-bats were better for the White Sox. The results, however, were the same.
Chicago just can't seem to snap out of its offensive funk.
The White Sox were shut down Wednesday night by Wade Davis, who pitched seven solid innings for the Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-1 victory that extended Chicago's losing streak to seven.
Carlos Quentin homered for Chicago, which has been outscored 11-2 through three games of a four-game series against Tampa Bay.
"Just write what I said yesterday," Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said with a smile. "The same type of game. They continue to play good defense. We struggle at the plate."
Guillen said the White Sox swung the bat better, a hopeful sign for a team that has scored 20 runs in the last nine games.
"That's all you can do. Go fight for your at-bat and see what happen," Guillen said.
Davis (2-2) allowed one run and six hits. John Jaso put the Rays ahead 2-0 on a two-run homer off Phil Humber (1-2) during the second.
Tampa Bay (9-9) has won eight of nine to become the second team since 1900 — joining the 1991 Seattle Mariners — to reach .500 in April after starting the season with a six-game losing streak.
Guillen tweaked his lineup, dropping designated hitter Adam Dunn from third to fifth. Quentin moved up two spots to third. Dunn went 1 for 3, including a double.
Dunn, who missed six games after having an emergency appendectomy on April 6, entered with just two hits in 27 at-bats over his previous seven games.
"It will come around," Dunn said. "I know I will come out of it."
Humber gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings.
After Joel Peralta worked a perfect eighth, Kyle Farnsworth got the final three outs for his fourth save.
The White Sox loaded the bases — including walks to Quentin and Dunn — with two outs in the first, but failed to score when Alex Rios lined out deep to left.
Davis got defensive help from right fielder Matt Joyce, who made a leaping catch at the wall on Juan Pierre's drive with two on and one out in the fifth. Gordon Beckman, mired in a 2 for 25 slide, then hit an infield pop fly to end the inning.
"The ball Juan Pierre hit, I don't know how the guy got there to catch that ball," Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "That is the way it's going right now. We need to keep fighting, keep our heads up and do everything we can to try and win."
Casey Kotchman made it 3-0 with a fourth-inning RBI double. Joyce had a run-scoring double in the fifth that extended the Rays' advantage to 4-0.
"They got big hits ... we don't," Guillen said.
Quentin's sixth-inning homer pulled Chicago within 4-1. 14 of 21 hits this season have gone for extra bases.
Pierzynski was ejected by plate umpire Brian Knight after grounding out to end the top of sixth. The pair had a discussion near the plate as Pierzynski, who was unhappy about a call during his at-bat, was returning to the dugout.
NOTES: Tampa Bay DH Johnny Damon was out the lineup for third straight game due to a left ring finger injury. Damon said there was soreness when took batting practice, but that he plans to hit again on Thursday. ... Guillen is not sure when he'll give Rios (sore toe) a day off. Rios told Guillen that he doesn't need a rest. ... Rays 1B Dan Johnson (left wrist) was the DH after missing the previous two games. ... Chicago is hitting .193 over the last 10 games.