Chicago White Sox can't escape another deep hole
Spotting the potent Detroit Tigers a big lead and roaring back to win worked out well for the Chicago White Sox on Monday.
Tuesday night, not so much.
Falling behind 10-2 in the fourth inning at U.S. Cellular Field thanks to a poor start from Miguel Gonzalez and more bad outfield play from Avisail Garcia in right and Melky Cabrera in left, the Sox tried to stage another comeback.
After rallying from a 7-0 deficit and winning 10-9 in 12 innings Monday, the White Sox fell to the Tigers 11-8 in the middle game of the series.
"The good news is we had some offense," manager Robin Ventura said. "The bad news is we couldn't stop their offense. It's tough when early on it goes that way. At least our guys came out swinging; that's a good sign. That's a rough start, two days in a row. It kind of wears on your bullpen, multiple-inning guys and being able to survive that."
Gonzalez, who took the mound with some nice momentum after going 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA over his last 3 starts, labored through 3⅓ innings against Detroit. The right-hander allowed 7 runs on 8 hits and 4 walks while throwing 91 pitches.
"When I was ahead, I couldn't finish hitters," Gonzalez said. "It was pretty frustrating. The first couple innings you try and set the tone, and early in the game it didn't happen. The ball was up, I made mistakes and they capitalized. That can happen."
Garcia didn't help Gonzalez when he failed to make a catch on a sinking Miguel Cabrera liner in the third inning that went for a ground-rule double.
In the fourth, Melky Cabrera misplayed a Justin Upton drive that went for a 2-run triple.
Garcia has played two poor defensive games in a row, so look for Ventura to go with J.B. Shuck in right field.
Offensively, Tyler Saladino played third base in place of the slumping Todd Frazier and went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI, including a 2-run homer in the ninth inning. "We battled the whole way through," Saladino said.
Shields stays positive:
New White Sox starter James Shields isn't on Twitter, so he was a bit surprised to hear Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez had some harsh tips for him Monday night.
"I hope Shields realizes he's flying open and his head is too far away from his release point," Martinez opined. "He needs to work on his mechanics."
Not only does Shields wisely stay away from tweeting, he doesn't even know Martinez.
"Maybe I should give him a call," Shields said.
The veteran right-hander definitely has some side work to do after allowing 13 earned runs on 17 hits and 6 walks in his first 2 starts with the Sox after being acquired in a June 4 trade from the San Diego Padres.
Shields said he is fine, physically and mentally.
"Not worried at all," he said. "I feel really good with a lot of my pitches. I was making quality pitches (Monday) that weren't getting called. Sometimes they go your way and sometimes they don't. I have to keep grinding it out."
After the Tigers scored 7 runs on 8 hits and an error through the first three innings, Shields did settle down and hold them scoreless in the fourth and fifth. That gives the right-hander something to try to build on.
"You want it to get better," manager Robin Ventura said. "Even for him, there's a frustration level, especially when you come to a new team, the last two times out. You keep working at it, and it has to get better. Nobody wants it to be like that. I know he doesn't either."