Chicago White Sox come up short against Tampa Bay
To paraphrase general manager Rick Hahn, the White Sox' arrow was pointing way up on the last road trip, when they went 7-1 at Cleveland and Boston.
The arrow tilted back down over the weekend, when the Sox lost two of three to the New York Yankees.
In Monday night's game against the Rays at U.S. Cellular Field, the arrow was down and up. Down and up.
It finally settled in the down position when the White Sox fell to Tampa Bay 5-4.
"I just like the fight we had," manager Robin Ventura said after the Sox (50-54) lost for the eighth time in their last 10 home games. "It was a tough one tonight. It's tough, but you've got to be able to handle it."
In a back-and-forth game, the White Sox rallied from a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning on Jose Abreu's 2-run homer.
After Tampa Bay went back ahead in the seventh, Carlos Sanchez's 2-run homer in the bottom of the inning gave the Sox a 4-3 lead.
The Rays tied it back up in the eighth against setup man Zach Duke and won it in the ninth inning when light-hitting Mikie Mahtook (.188) came up big against Sox closer David Robertson.
With two outs, Mahtook drove an RBI single to left field and decided the outcome.
Duke and Robertson (4-3) both were burned by hanging off-speed pitches.
"Our bullpen's been good in those situations, but we didn't get it done tonight," Ventura said. "They're human. Just regroup."
Trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth, Alexei Ramirez led off with a single against Tampa Bay closer Brad Boxberger.
Ramirez stole second and tried scoring when Adam LaRoche followed with a single to center field. Kevin Kiermaier closed on the ball quickly and made a strong throw home to cut down Ramirez by 10-15 feet.
"It's always a tough call," Ventura said. "I know (third-base coach) Joe (McEwing) is always aggressive and he wants to make guys throw you out. I think Alexei got a late jump."
Said McEwing: "I take full responsibility for that. It's totally my fault."
If there was a bright side in yet another home loss, Abreu, named co-American league player of the week earlier in the day with teammate Adam Eaton, continued his offensive surge with a double and the home run that was nearly caught by Kiermaier.
Abreu is riding a 14-game hitting streak, not that he's even noticed.
"All we are thinking about is playing every day," Abreu said through a translator. "We have to keep the focus on that because that will give us the results. Play every day, try not to think too much ahead. Just every day."
And see where the arrow winds up.