Few runs, few hits, lots of errors as Sox get swept by Guardians

Compared to Wednesday, the White Sox's first two days in Cleveland were spectacular.

Bad weather postponed games against the Guardians on Monday and Tuesday, setting up a Wednesday doubleheader at Progressive Field.

In Game 1, abysmal early defense set the tone in the Sox's 11-1 loss.

In Game 2, the offense didn't show up again as Cleveland won 2-1 and completed the sweep.

Injury news wasn't much better for the White Sox.

Left fielder Eloy Jimenez was held out of both games as he continues dealing with a sore left ankle.

Jimenez fouled a pitch off the ankle in a game against the Mariners last week and seemed to aggravate it over the weekend.

"He twisted it somehow, too, making some kind of move after he got hit or something," manager Tony La Russa told reporters Wednesday. "It's more than just the bruise because soreness is soreness. There's some swelling there."

In Game 2, third baseman Josh Harrison made a spectacular diving catch in left field, barely avoiding a big collision with Andrew Vaughn. He was later pulled with a sore right shoulder.

The Sox came out worse than flat in Game 1, making 4 errors in the first two innings, 3 of them by shortstop Tim Anderson.

"Just when you think you've seen it all, you really haven't," said Dallas Keuchel, who started the opener. "I watched it back on film, it didn't look any better. I was trying to do the best I could."

Major defensive issues aside, Keuchel didn't do very well. After Gabriel Arias reached first on an Anderson error leading off the second inning, the Guardians had 8 straights hits off Keuchel, including Jose Ramirez' grand slam.

Keuchel was pulled without recording an out in the second and was charged with 10 runs (8 earned) on 10 hits.

La Russa blamed himself for the debacle.

"The manager didn't get them ready to play," La Russa said. "It's a common problem, you have an off day and you have to push. And I didn't push the club like I should have."

The Sox's offense is still trying to get going, and they managed only 2 runs and 8 total hits in the sweep.

"There isn't really one answer for everybody," La Russa said. "Can't look at the weather because we have indoor cages. You go through periods where you get a little funky and a lot of times it does happen as a team. Normally, the answer is go back to the basics."