D'nied: Sox commit 4 errors in 7-4 loss to Twins
MINNEAPOLIS - The White Sox' nine-game winning streak came to an end Friday night at steamy Target Field.
But don't give the Twins too much credit for their 7-4 win. Instead, blame the Sox for beating themselves while committing 4 errors that led to 5 unearned runs.
"Got to field the ball," said second baseman Gordon Beckham. "Sometimes it doesn't happen. It is what it is. We didn't field it tonight and lost it."
The defensive miscues were really costly in the fourth inning when rookie third baseman Dayan Viciedo muffed a groundball that could have been turned for a double play.
Beckham also botched a play in the fourth and Minnesota cashed in with 4 runs, only 1 of which was earned.
"That shows you how much I pray for defense," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Two big innings because we couldn't make the plays. That doesn't mean I'm criticizing the players because they are there to make errors and make the plays. I never will criticize them, but that's an example of why I keep saying good defense makes good pitching.
"We made a couple mistakes and at the end of the day we paid."
The Sox paid again in the eighth inning when the Twins scored 3 runs (1 earned) on 3 hits and a costly throwing error by relief pitcher Tony Pena.
Starter Gavin Floyd also made an error while paying the biggest individual price for the sloppy fielding.
While losing for the first time since June 13, Floyd pitched 5 innings and allowed 4 runs (1 earned) on 7 hits and 3 walks.
"When your team does make an error you want to get out of the inning," Floyd said. "You are disappointed you couldn't get out with the least amount of runs. I was hoping to get out with the least. It just didn't happen."
A funny thing happened in the ninth inning, and the White Sox almost emerged with another victory.
Trailing 7-2, the Sox took advantage of Twins closer Jon Rauch's inability to find the strike zone.
A.J. Pierzynski led off with a walk, Viciedo followed with a single and Beckham singled to score Pierzynski after Brent Lillibridge struck out.
Rauch then walked Juan Pierre and Alexei Ramirez to force in another run, and Jesse Crain replaced him.
Alex Rios came to the plate as the go-ahead run and lined out to center field. Paul Konerko followed Rios in the same situation but struck out to end the game.
"I'm not satisfied, but I'm happy about the way we went about our business," Guillen said. "The guys that started the last inning were the bottom of the lineup and they fought back to give the big boys a chance to do some damage. We come up short, but like I keep saying, defense is very important in this game."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Scot Gregor's game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Twins 7, White Sox 4</p>
<p class="News"><b>Too many miscues:</b> The Sox committed 4 errors that led to 5 unearned runs as Minnesota snapped the White Sox' nine-game winning streak.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Fight to the finish:</b> The Sox rallied for 2 runs in the ninth inning, and Alex Rios and Paul Konerko each came to the plate as the go-ahead run. Rios lined out and Konerko struck out.</p>
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