Blame falls on Sox' offense

ARLINGTON, Texas -- And the arrow of blame spins back to … the White Sox' offense.

There has been plenty to go around during a season that seems to get more miserable by the day.

But manager Ozzie Guillen didn't hesitate pointing out the main reason the Sox fell to Texas 4-3 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Tuesday night.

"You can talk about our relievers,'' Guillen said. "But every time we come up with runners in scoring position, we get the worst at-bats we can get. That not only happened today, it's happened day in and day out.''

Already batting a dismal .244 with runners in scoring position heading into the series opener, the White Sox were 0-for-5 Tuesday.

Their inability to hit in the clutch ultimately decided the outcome in the eighth inning.

With the score tied at 3-3, the Sox loaded the bases with no outs against relief pitchers John Rheinecker and Wes Littleton.

But with the Rangers on the ropes, wild-swinging Juan Uribe offered at the first pitch and grounded into a fielder's choice, erasing pinch runner Jerry Owens at home plate.

The White Sox' next hitter, struggling rookie second baseman Danny Richar, grounded into a double play to end the threat.

"When you do that, you're going to lose a lot of games,'' Guillen said.

That's a big reason the Sox (57-74) are buried in last place in the AL Central.

In the bottom of the eighth, Texas rallied against relief pitcher Mike MacDougal.

After Michael Young led off with a single and advanced to second base on MacDougal's team-high sixth wild pitch of the season, Marlon Byrd's RBI single decided the outcome.

If there was a bright spot for the White Sox, it was Gavin Floyd. With a possible spot, maybe two, up for grabs in next season's starting rotation, Floyd is running out of time as he tries to impress the Sox while proving he's worthy of a job.

The 24-year-old right-hander, who has bounced between Class AAA Charlotte and the White Sox' rotation and bullpen, started against Texas and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits over 6 innings.

"He threw the ball real good,'' Guillen said. "The kid was attacking the strike zone, and he kept us in the game. He didn't hold the lead, but he threw well enough to win the game.''

The Sox built a 3-0 lead on Paul Konerko's 2-run homer in the first inning off Texas starter Kason Gabbard and Jim Thome's solo shot (career No. 494) in the third.

Floyd allowed a solo home run to Ian Kinsler in the third inning and a 2-run homer to Gerald Laird in the fourth. He was able to work out of jams in the second and fifth.

"I felt strong, like I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes,'' Floyd said. "I threw a ball away (for an error in the fifth) and it almost cost me. When things happen, you just have to eliminate it and focus on your next pitch.

"You just try to bear down and make pitches, and I think I was able to do that. I felt really good.''