Time to sweat it out as Sox fall further behind Tigers

Posted September 06, 2009 11:00 pm

Scot Gregor

The White Sox aren't ready to say uncle just yet, but the family photo album arrived Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field during a 6-1 loss to the Red Sox.

Needing to extend their four-game winning streak while hoping the red-hot Detroit Tigers lost at Tampa Bay, the White Sox came up short on both ends.

Not only did the White Sox fall to Boston, Detroit rallied from a 3-1 deficit and beat the Rays 5-3 on Brandon Inge's grand slam in the ninth inning.

The Tigers have won six in a row and lead the White Sox by 8 games.

"Time's been running out since we were on the road trip," manager Ozzie Guillen said of the Sox' 3-8 showing at Boston, New York, Minnesota and Wrigley Field.

"After we started losing those games, I kept saying it's going to be harder and harder. It's not impossible, but every day is tougher and tougher. Win or lose, it's going to be tougher and tougher."

The White Sox' offense came to life during the brief winning streak, but the bats went quiet against Red Sox starter Jon Lester (12-7), who pitched 7 shutout innings. The White Sox' best shot at the left-hander came in the first inning, when Scott Podsednik led off with a bunt single and Jayson Nix walked.

Paul Konerko followed with a flare to right field, but Dustin Pedroia ran it down, made a nice catch and doubled Podsednik off second base.

The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning, when Mike Lowell hit a 2-run homer off White Sox starter John Danks (12-9).

"He's got great stuff," Konerko said of Lester. "He pitched real well and threw strikes in there. When you do that, it opens the other side of the plate. He just pitched real well and he didn't have a pattern. He mixed everything up."

After the White Sox won the first two against the Red Sox, Konerko had a feeling the final two games of the series were going to be tougher with Lester and Josh Beckett starting for Boston.

He was right, at least Sunday, and Konerko realizes the White Sox are in a difficult spot.

"It's getting close to math, when you start seeing how many games you have left and how many you're back," the White Sox' captain said. "But you can't change your approach.

"You have to make sure you're prepared and come out and play. Be professional. Stick to your routine and try to stay dialed in for nine innings."

Freddy Garcia and Gavin Floyd were solid in the first 2 starts against Boston, and Danks wasn't all bad. The left-hander worked 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits.

"I got outpitched," Danks said. "You know going up against a guy like that (Lester), you have to be almost flawless. I tried to keep us in the game and did a decent job of it. It was a battle, but we lost."

White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen yells at his catcher Ramon Castro during the first inning. Associated Press

Scot Gregor's game tracker Falling fast: The White Sox dropped another game behind the first-place Tigers and are 8 out with 24 to play. Swing it: Scott Podsednik made another baserunning gaffe Sunday, but he had 3 of the White Sox' 6 hits. Podsednik is batting .394 (13-for-33) over his last eight games. Hit it: Octavio Dotel pitched 1 inning of relief and allowed 3 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Dotel has allowed 8 runs in his last 41/3 innings.