White Sox squander chances in 9-4 loss to Rays
Ozzie Guillen was honest after Friday night's 9-4 loss to Tampa Bay at U.S. Cellular Field.
"We played real bad today," the White Sox' manager said.
Guillen was also irritated with the booing during the setback, which snapped the Sox' winning streak at five and also knocked them out of first place in the AL Central.
The Twins hold a half-game lead after winning their second straight over the Angels.
"I think we have a good ballclub," Guillen said. "It's kind of funny, we lose a game and people think we're done. That's kind of a weird feeling, this situation here in Chicago. We lose a game, all of a sudden we're down the tank. I don't know if people are waiting for us to fail, or people don't believe in the White Sox."
Guillen also defended Octavio Dotel.
Coming out of the bullpen in the eighth inning with the Sox trailing 3-2, Dotel gave up a leadoff home run to Rocco Baldelli, a double to Willy Aybar and a 2-run homer to Ben Zobrist before being pulled.
"He's been pitching good for us," Guillen said. "That's all I know. He's had a couple bad outings. That's the way it is. They swung the bat good, he made a couple mistakes and they hit home runs. Octavio's a power pitcher. When they hit it, they're going to hit it hard.
"In my opinion he's pitching well for us. It's not about two or three games, it's about a season. When you're among the league leaders in strikeouts - I tip my hat to Octavio Dotel."
Dotel tipped his hat to the upstart Rays.
"They're playing unbelievable baseball this year," Dotel said. "They shouldn't surprise anybody. I just come out and try to do my job. Sometimes I don't do my job, like tonight. It's going to happen."
The loudest boos of the night from the sold-out crowd were directed at Dotel.
"We're pretty good, too," Dotel said. "There's a lot of baseball left. There's nothing to worry about, just keep doing what we've been doing."
Dotel and fellow relievers Horacio Ramirez and Adam Russell combined to allow 6 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks over the final two innings, but White Sox starter John Danks was blaming himself for the loss.
Nick Swisher put the Sox in front with a 2-run homer off Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson in the fourth inning.
The Rays rallied to take the lead with single runs off Danks in the fifth, sixth and seventh.
"These guys gave me a 2-run lead and not only did I give it back, I gave them the lead," Danks said. "I just have to take full credit for it and be better next time."
The Sox have been tough to beat at home all season, and they'll try to start another winning streak this afternoon.
"Obviously, it wasn't what we wanted to happen in the first game of the series," Swisher said. "But they're a great team. It was close and it just kind of slipped away from us. We'll be ready to go tomorrow."
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=229741">Sox, Rays surprise many <span class="date">[08/22/08]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>