Bad to worse for Sox

TORONTO -- This has been one rough stretch of games for the White Sox.

Vernon Wells drove in 3 runs, Marco Scutaro homered, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the White Sox 5-2 on Saturday, handing the Sox their season-high fourth straight loss.

The White Sox have lost 7 of 10 overall to fall to 14-14.

"It's frustrating," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "All of a sudden, in one week, we forgot how to hit, how to catch the ball, how to run the bases, how to pitch. That happened quick."

A Joe Crede error led to 3 unearned runs, and the White Sox' struggling offense sputtered against right-hander Jesse Litsch, putting just one runner in scoring position.

"We're not terrible right now; we're just good enough to lose," first baseman Paul Konerko said. "We're just not clicking."

The Sox have scored only 6 runs in their past four games and at .235 have the lowest team average in the AL.

"As a coaching staff, we will take the blame," Guillen said. "Meanwhile, we have to continue to work and believe in those guys and hope and have faith that they can get out of this fiasco."

Litsch (4-1) gave up 2 runs and 5 hits in 7½ innings for Toronto, which has won three straight after losing 8 of 9. Wells went 3-for-5 with 3 singles.

Toronto's staff has an ERA of 1.32 in the past seven games, and no pitcher wants to be the one who slips up.

"You see a guy go out there and throw 7 scoreless and it makes you want to go out there and do the same thing," Litsch said.

With Toronto's offense finally showing signs of life, Litsch expects the Blue Jays (14-17) to soon climb out of the AL East cellar.

"People are going to have to watch out for us," Litsch said. "We started out slow in the month of April, but that happens. It's how you finish, really."

Litsch was perfect through four innings, but Konerko singled off the glove of second baseman Aaron Hill to begin the fifth. Litsch, who has won back-to-back starts, struck out three and walked none.

Konerko returned after missing two games with a sore thumb, but the White Sox still struggled at the plate. Their only runs came on homers by Jermaine Dye and Carlos Quentin.

Dye ended an 0-for-15 skid with a drive in the seventh, snapping a streak of 24¿ consecutive scoreless innings by Blue Jays pitchers. Toronto had not given up a run since the ninth inning of Wednesday's 2-1 loss at Boston. Quentin went deep in the eighth for his eighth.

Konerko, who went 2-for-4 with 2 singles, said his hand still was a little sore.

"A couple of balls tested it a bit," he said. "It was manageable. You still feel it, but it wasn't stopping me from doing what I wanted to do."

David Eckstein doubled and scored on a two-out single by Wells in the first, and Scutaro hit a solo homer off John Danks (2-3) in the third.

Toronto broke it open in the sixth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Hill hit a bouncer down the third-base line. Crede tried to make the force at third but bobbled the ball, allowing Rod Barajas to score. Wells followed with a 2-run single to center.

Crede was the only Sox player to get into scoring position, leading off the sixth with a double that hit the top of the center-field wall and bounced back into play. Pablo Ozuna sacrificed Crede to third, but Nick Swisher lined out to first and Orlando Cabrera grounded out.

"The ball is just not bouncing our way," Guillen said.

Danks gave up 2 runs and 7 hits in 4¿ innings. He struck out five and walked one.

"I didn't have command of anything," Danks said. "I threw too many pitches, and if that happens the defense gets flat-footed."

Blue Jays 5, White Sox 2

At the plate: The Sox were held to 6 hits, dropping their team average to .235. They have scored 6 runs in the last four games, all losses. Jermaine Dye and Carlos Quentin each hit solo home runs. Paul Konerko (sore right hand) returned and was 2-for-4.

In the field: Third baseman Joe Crede made his second costly error in as many games, opening the door for 3 unearned runs in the sixth inning.

On the mound: Starter John Danks allowed 2 runs on 7 hits in 42/3 innings. He walked Matt Stairs in the fifth, snapping a streak of 88 batters without a base on balls.