Beckham’s perseverance paying off

Before most games, the White Sox are on a strict schedule for stretching and batting practice.

But the Sox had no on-field responsibilities prior to Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Baltimore. Perhaps that was because of the day-game-after-night game grind. Maybe Sox manager Ozzie Guillen wanted to change up things to take some pressure off his guys.

Either way, Gordon Beckham didn’t take it easy.

Three hours before the first pitch, Beckham was working up a sweat in the cage underneath the third-base stands.

Did his extra time pay off? He lined the first pitch he saw Sunday into right for a single.

Then, in the seventh, he drilled a double past a diving Felix Pie in center.

Beckham, who also drew a walk to set up Adam Dunn’s pinch homer in the eighth, finished with multiple hits for the first time since April 8.

He hadn’t delivered an extra-base hit since April 13 and owned just 1 walk since April 6.

“I’ve gotten a better feel recently in the cage,” Beckham said. “Been working on that and today it came out, which was good. It’s a start of, hopefully, a lot to come.”

If you thought Beckham looked too tense swinging the bat during his slump — almost as if he were trying to muscle the ball — then you weren’t alone.

That’s why his second-inning single to right meant plenty.

“It’s nice to go the other way and it was easy,” Beckham said. “It was an easy swing. I think that’s the most important thing. It wasn’t forced over there. It’s a combination of swinging at strikes and having a tension-free swing.”

Floyd tagged:White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen suggested losing pitcher Gavin Floyd endured just 1 bad inning Sunday.#147;All of a sudden, he lost it,#148; Guillen said.While Floyd allowed 5 of his 6 runs in the fifth, it wasn#146;t like there weren#146;t warning signs before that inning.Brian Roberts scalded Floyd#146;s first pitch of the day into right for a single. Nick Markakis ripped Floyd#146;s second pitch to left, but Juan Pierre dove for a shoestring catch.Roberts added another long lineout in the third and Luke Scott cracked a solo homer in the fourth.Then the Orioles hit line drives for the cycle in the fifth: Mark Reynolds#146; homer ... Felix Pie#146;s triple ... Markakis#146; 3-run double ... Scott#146;s RBI single.The bright spot:For the umpteenth day in a row, it seemed, the White Sox failed to hit in clutch situations.They went 0-for-8 with 3 walks with runners in scoring position Sunday #8212; with all but 2 of those plate appearances coming in the final three innings.That dropped the Sox to 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position for the Baltimore series and 23 of 134 (a .172 average) over the last 19 games.Leave it to Ozzie Guillen to find humor and a good side in that painful stat.#147;At least we have somebody on base,#148; he said with a smile. #147;That#146;s a good sign. That#146;s a positive sign.#148;The Sox rapped 8 hits and drew 8 walks. That#146;s their highest number of baserunners since they managed 17 in the 9-2 win April 21 at Tampa Bay.