Deep trouble for Samardzija, Chicago White Sox

Given their inconsistent play over the first five-plus months of the season, the Chicago White Sox have little or no room for error if they hope to chase down a wild-card berth.

Jeff Samardzija made three big miscues in the Friday's interleague matchup against the Chicago Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field.

Facing his former team for the first time, Samardzija was tagged for 3 home runs by the Cubs and the Sox came out on the short end of a 6-5 final.

"I wasn't too upset with how I threw, just the longball got me today," Samardzija said. "The upsetting part is the walk and the 3-run homer, obviously. If you give up solo shots it's one thing, but if runners are on because you put them there it always comes back to haunt you.

"We lose by 1 ... the walk to (Kyle) Schwarber ends up hurting."

With the White Sox leading 2-1 in the third inning, Dexter Fowler led off with a double for the Cubs and Schwarber walked.

Chris Coghlan followed with a 3-run homer, his first of 2 off Samardzija.

"I remember pitching at Wrigley and the adage was: 'Solo homers are OK,'" Samardzija said. "It's going to happen if the wind is blowing out, you just have to make sure there are no crooked numbers. A couple of them were solo, but like I said, that one to Coghlan really hurt."

With the temperature at 93 for the start of the game and the wind blowing out, there was no doubt the ball was carrying at the Cell on Friday.

After Adam Eaton put the Sox back in front 5-4 with a 2-run homer (No. 10) off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks in the fourth inning, Coghlan and Anthony Rizzo completed the scoring in the fifth with back-to-back solo shots off Samardzija.

A free agent at the end of the season, Samardzija (8-8, 4.78 ERA) has seen his market value plummet in August. In 3 starts this month, the 30-year-old pitcher has allowed 22 runs on 23 hits (5 homers) in 15⅓ innings.

"I think today, it's just getting too much in the middle of the plate," manager Robin Ventura said. "There are some good swings there late, especially with the lefties. Getting too much of the plate, and I think that's something you can clean up. Work the corners.

"I know he loves throwing off-speed stuff and changing speeds and things like that, but you get that much of the plate and it can cost you, especially on warm days like this."

Not only has Samardzija hurt himself in August, he has damaged the White Sox' faint playoff hopes.

"It hurts, man." he said. "I take things personally. I enjoy having success. I enjoy doing well. But you have to understand that the work you're doing is always good work. You keep working hard and keep trying to fix what you feel like you're doing wrong."

With the Cubs clinging to the 6-5 lead in the eighth inning, Alexei Ramirez led off with a single and moved to second base on Carlos Sanchez's bunt.

Cubs reliever Pedro Strop twice stepped off the mound and faked a throw to second, even with Ramirez standing close to the bag.

After the second time, Ramirez appeared to be irritated, and so did Strop.

"I don't know what happened there," Ramirez said through a translator. "Probably when he made that side move, I just tried to sign like … I wasn't trying to disrespect him."

Strop struck out Eaton and Tyler Saladino to escape trouble in the eighth, and he wildly pumped his first several times before walking off the field.

Considering White Sox hitters are always making hand gestures when they reach base, they didn't mind Strop's showmanship.

"You know what, it's part of the game," Eaton said. "It really is. I think fan bases like it. I do. I think it brings a little bit of flair to baseball that hasn't always been there.

"I think the old-time guys would say 'save it, get off the mound.' But other people, including me, think it could be good for your team and can really push your team to the end."

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