Sale gets no support as White Sox fall to Red Sox
Chris Sale debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 2010, so this is his sixth season on the South Side.
Barring a miraculous rally by the Sox, this is going to be the sixth straight year Sale has to watch the playoffs from home.
That is quite the shame, considering Sale could take his already elite game to another level in October.
"I would love it," Sale said after Wednesday night's 3-0 loss to the Red Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. "That's the whole part of playing. Really, we show up to spring training, every team shows up with the same goal and that's getting to the postseason.
"It doesn't matter how you get there. I think everyone knows that. Once you get to the postseason, sometimes the best teams don't win. Just getting there is enough."
Even with a 59-66 record, the White Sox still like to think they can make a run at the second wild-card spot with one extended winning streak.
In reality, it would be a surprise if this team finishes the year at .500.
Sale is one of the top starters in the game, but the offense and mistake-filled play on defense and running the bases has continually kept the Sox at bay.
Against Boston, Sale did everything he could while pitching 7 scoreless innings.
"He can bob and weave with the best of him," manager Robin Ventura said. "He wasn't in his strikeout form tonight, but they were going after stuff early. I thought they did a great job of attacking early. I wouldn't say he was throwing strikes early in the count, he was getting behind. That got him in some jams, but he's got good enough stuff to get out of it."
Sale worked out of trouble in the second and third innings, and he did manage 7 strikeouts and is the major-league leader with 229.
"Yeah, I mean it's cool," Sale said. "But at the end of the day, there's really only one stat that matters and that's wins."
The Red Sox broke a scoreless tie in the eighth inning when Travis Shaw hit a 2-run homer off reliever Nate Jones with two outs, but the White Sox' offense never engaged.
Boston starter Rick Porcello, who came in with a 5.81 ERA, held the White Sox to 5 hits over 7 innings.
"Throughout the game, he just kept in control of his fastball the majority of the time," third baseman Tyler Saladino said. "And a guy throwing a sinker like that, you have to capitalize on the mistakes he makes, and he didn't make too many of them. It was a battle."
At Fenway Park on July 29, Porcello pitched against the White Sox and was rocked for 5 earned runs on 10 hits in 2 innings. The right-hander went on the disabled list with a triceps injury after the outing and obviously was feeling better facing the Sox this time around.
"He was sharp," Ventura said. "He was matching Chris, if not bettering him."
Scouting report
White Sox vs. Seattle Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet today-Friday-Saturday; WGN Sunday
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Pitching matchups: The Sox' Carlos Rodon (5-5) vs. Roenis Elias (4-6) today at 7:10 p.m.; John Danks (6-11) vs. Taijuan Walker (9-7) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; Jeff Samardzija (8-10) vs. Hisashi Iwakuma (5-3) Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Jose Quintana (7-10) vs. TBA Sunday at 1:10 p.m.
At a glance: The White Sox played the Mariners in Seattle last weekend and won two of three. Over the last five seasons, the Sox are 18-4 vs. the Mariners at the Cell. In his last 3 starts, Rodon is 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA, while striking out 24 in 22 innings. Tonight, the Sox will wear the collared, blue and white V-neck jerseys from 1976.
Next: Minnesota Twins at Target Field, Tuesday-Thursday
- Scot Gregor