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White Sox lose, but stay 3½ back of Tigers

Manager Ozzie Guillen has some major-league mixed feelings about the White Sox' status.

First, he is disgusted with the Sox' record, which dropped back to .500 (61-61) following Wednesday night's 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field.

“I'm embarrassed,” Guillen said. “With this ballclub, it's not built to be a .500 club.”

Second, Guillen is thrilled the White Sox aren't competing in the AL East or West, where they would have been long left for dead. Fortunately for the Sox, they play in the Central and still have a fighting chance, even after starting the season at 11-22.

“Are we excited?” Guillen asked. “Yeah, because we came a long way to be where we are right now. A long way. We have a shot, and that's all you can do is to make sure we have a shot for the pennant.”

Facing a starting pitcher they knocked around earlier in the season — Fausto Carmona — the Sox figured to have a good shot at beating Cleveland and moving into second place.

In his 2 outings against the White Sox this season, Carmona had gone 0-2 and allowed 18 runs on 18 hits in 8 innings.

Overall, Carmona was 5-12 with a 5.12 ERA heading into Wednesday's game against Mark Buehrle and the Sox, but the right-hander turned the tables while allowing 1 run on 4 hits in 8⅓ innings.

“He's one of those guys where you look up and see his numbers and wonder why his ERA is so high and how he gets hit around, because he's throwing 95 (mph) and his ball is sinking all over the place,” Buehrle said. “I'll take his stuff any day.”

Buehrle was hot stuff coming in with a streak of 18 starts allowing 3 runs or fewer. The veteran lefty was OK, giving up 4 runs on 12 hits in 7⅓ innings, but Carmona was much better.

“I think in the past we take advantage of Carmona being wild,” Guillen said. “He couldn't find the plate. Today was, Carmona, we've seen him before, but the best we have saw him in maybe 3 or 4 outings. He was outstanding today.”

Alexei Ramirez hit a solo home run off Carmona to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning, but that was it for the White Sox' offense.

“He was pitching really good,” said center fielder Alejandro De Aza, who had 2 of the 4 hits off Carmona. “Good stuff, and a very good changeup. We tried, but there wasn't much we could do.”

If there was any good news for the Sox, the first-place Detroit Tigers also lost, so the gap remains at 3½ games.

“We want to win every game,” Buehrle said. “We know we're not going to, but we'll try to win series and win as many games as we can from here on out. Winning series and keep playing the way we've been playing. We're 8-2 in our last 10 games; if we keep doing that, we'd like our chances.

“But obviously if Detroit keeps winning and we go on a roll like that, it might be too late. You never know.”

sgregor@dailyherald.com

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