With Quintana on mound, Chicago White Sox bats silent again in loss to Royals
When it comes to Jose Quintana, I still think back to last season and running into chairman Jerry Reinsdorf after the Chicago White Sox's left-handed starter pitched another strong game and had nothing to show for it.
"I can't believe he hasn't asked to be traded," Reinsdorf said.
He was joking - perhaps - but there is nothing funny about Quintana's latest stretch of no support.
In Saturday afternoon's 4-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals at U.S. Cellular Field, Quintana again pitched well enough to win. He went 8 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 10.
But Royals starter Danny Duffy stymied the Sox offense, and the K.C. bullpen was working on a combined shutout until Avisail Garcia flared a run-scoring single off Wade Davis with two outs in the ninth inning.
It was too little, too late, and Quintana (5-7) was saddled with his sixth straight loss.
The saddest statistic over that sorry stretch? The White Sox have scored 4 total runs for Quintana.
"I wish we had an explanation for it, to be honest with you," Adam Eaton said. "First inning we come in we're almost apologizing to the guy because it's been so difficult to score him runs and we don't understand why."
The Sox appeared to jump on Duffy in the first inning when Eaton led off with a walk and went to second base on Jose Abreu's single.
No. 3 hitter Melky Cabrera decided to lay down a bunt for some reason, and he was retired for the first out as Eaton and Abreu moved up a base.
"He's up there sensing the situation," manager Robin Ventura said of Cabrera. "I think he thought we could get on the board early by getting them over. It's something you look at either way, but he decided to do it on his own."
The strategy didn't work.
Duffy struck out Todd Frazier and got Brett Lawrie to line out while wiggling out of the jam.
"I've got to put the ball in play, bottom line," Frazier said. "I'm a four-hole hitter. I've got to do my job. I didn't do my job. Three pitches, it's pretty embarrassing to be honest with you."
Quintana was hurt by 3 solo home runs, with Royals third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert hitting a pair.
"I feel frustrated, but I don't have control over that," Quintana said of the poor support. "It's what I try to do if I don't get runs, give a chance to the hitters to come back. I don't have control over that and just try to do my job."
Sunday preview:
After missing his last start with a sore neck and left biceps, Carlos Rodon is going to pitch for the Sox against the Royals Sunday.
Kansas City counters with the volatile Yordano Ventura, who sparked a brawl in his last start when he drilled Baltimore's Manny Machado in the back with a 99-mph fastball.
Ventura received a nine-game suspension, but he's appealed and can pitch against the Sox. Ventura was suspended seven games last year for his role in an April brawl against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.