For Sox, things going from bad to worse
On the field — and off — Adam Dunn is already having himself a miserable season.
Before Monday night’s game against the Indians at U.S. Cellular Field, Dunn was asked about the White Sox’ tepid 7-11 start.
“We can’t play any worse than what we’re playing now,” Dunn said.
Not true.
Positioned for a needed win after dropping three straight and nine of their last 12, the Sox held a 2-1 lead over Cleveland in the bottom of the seventh inning and were poised to increase the edge after Indians starter Justin Masterson hit leadoff man Hector Gimenez and walked Jordan Danks.
Gimenez, who put the Sox in front 2-1 with an RBI double in the fourth inning, had to exit in the seventh after being hit in the shin.
Pinch runner Blake Tekotte was promptly picked off second base, and Alejandro De Aza grounded into a double play to end the inning.
“I took too much of a secondary (lead),” said Tekotte, who came up from Class AAA Charlotte on Friday when left fielder Dayan Viciedo went on the disabled list. “I tried to do a little too much. Learn from it and that won’t happen again.”
The mistakes kept happening in the eighth inning and again wound up burning the White Sox.
With Matt Thornton on in relief, the Indians’ Drew Stubbs reached on a one-out infield single and Michael Brantley walked. Both runners moved up a base when Thornton made a wild throw trying to pick off Stubbs at second.
Thornton struck out Jason Kipnis, but Asdrubal Cabrera (batting .143) lined the left-hander’s first pitch to center field for a 2-run single that decided the outcome.
“I threw the ball into center field,” Thornton said with a blank expression. “It was a (set) play. I spun and I threw it in between Stubbs’ legs. There’s no chance (shortstop) Alexei (Ramirez) could get that ball. I gave the game away.
“If we had been winning games, it doesn’t hurt as much and stuff. But when you have a string of losses going together and you make a mistake like that, it costs you a game. It’s frustrating, disappointing, but we move on and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Sox were the best defensive team in baseball last season. They’re one of the worst this year and manager Robin Ventura is starting to get irritated.
“It’s just one of those where you keep shooting yourself in the foot,” Ventura said. “You give major-league teams opportunities and they’re going to take advantage of them. Until you clean it up, you’re going to lose games. It’s just that simple. It’s not hard to figure out.”
Danks staying put:Hoping to pull out of extended spring training and begin a minor-league rehab assignment, White Sox lefty John Danks met with GM Rick Hahn, manager Robin Ventura, pitching coach Don Cooper and trainer Herm Schneider on Monday and learned he#146;s heading back to Arizona for another start Friday. And maybe another one after that.#147;I#146;m making progress in the right direction,#148; said Danks, who is coming back from Aug. 6 shoulder surgery. #147;I#146;m not worried about it. I figure I#146;ll be back out on a rehab start. If not after this one, maybe after the next one. I#146;m not far.#148;Beckham getting anxious:Second baseman Gordon Beckham was back at U.S. Cellular Field on Monday, almost a week after having surgery to repair a fractured left hamate bone.Beckham suffered the injury on April 9 at Washington, and was initially expected to miss 6-8 weeks.#147;If I#146;m not playing in the big leagues in six weeks, I#146;m going to be very upset, let#146;s put it that way,#148; Beckham said. #147;I#146;ve kind of made a mental goal that I want to be back in four.#148;