Bats silent again as White Sox fall to Royals, 3-1

Numbers can lie in baseball, and hard-luck Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana is living proof.

Quintana ranks fifth in the American League with a 2.66 ERA, he has lost his last 6 starts and has a 5-7 record on the season.

Numbers also can be accurate, and the Sox's inability to score runs has reached the offensive stage.

During a dour 4-14 stretch, the White Sox are averaging 3 runs per game and they have scored 2 or fewer six times.

Sunday afternoon was the latest swing and miss as the Sox fell to the Royals 3-1 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Volatile Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura got plenty of deserved credit in the White Sox's clubhouse after allowing 1 run (Jose Abreu's solo homer in the sixth) and striking out 10 in 7 innings.

"He was flat-out nasty," said catcher Alex Avila, who had 2 of the Sox's 5 hits for the day. "He has great stuff. When he is able to command his curveball to go along with his fastball and changeup, he's very tough.

"He's got a true 12-6 curveball, and it's 85 or 86 mph at times. And that's not something easy to be able to put a few hits together with when he's able to command those pitches."

Ventura is facing a nine-game suspension after drilling Baltimore's Manny Machado with a 99-mph fastball last Tuesday, but he's appealing the ruling and was eligible to pitch Sunday.

That turned out to be a tough break for the White Sox, but their bats haven't been consistently tough on any opposing pitcher during this downward spiral.

Let's start at the top, where leadoff man Adam Eaton is in an 11-for-72 slide, dropping his average to .259.

Todd Frazier ranks second in the American League with 19 home runs, but he's riding an 8-for-56 slump after going 0-for-4 with 3 strikeouts Sunday. That has dropped the third baseman's average to .211.

Brett Lawrie's average is down to .235, and the second baseman has struck out 10 times in his last 23 at-bats.

After coming up from Class AAA Charlotte on Friday and going 2-for-3 in his major-league debut, shortstop Tim Anderson quickly cooled and grounded into two double plays Sunday.

There is plenty of offensive blame to go around, but White Sox manager Robin Ventura isn't calling any of his players out.

"I think we've been challenged there for a little bit, and you've got to pick it up," Ventura said. "Some guys have to pick it up. The DH spot's going to rotate somewhat with who you've got in there and who needs a day.

"But these are the guys we've got and we've got to figure out something."

Avila has started to heat up with a pair of home runs in Friday's win over Kansas City and 2 hits Sunday. The veteran catcher is preaching patience.

"Basically, we've been playing good defense, and the one key that has been kind of missing is key hits in situations," Avila said. "Instead of getting 1 run, being able to push 2, 3 or 4 runs across.

"But there really isn't a magical thing you can do to try to snap yourself out. You have to understand it's six months of baseball and you can't really ride the roller coaster as a player.

"Continue to battle and believe that the talent takes over. That's the way it goes, and I've seen two ends of the spectrum. This team every day comes to play. That's one aspect you can't lose."

White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field

TV: WPWR Monday; Comcast SportsNet Tuesday and Wednesday

Radio: WLS 890-AM

Pitching matchups: The White Sox's James Shields (2-8) vs. Matt Boyd (0-1) Monday; Miguel Gonzalez (1-1) vs. Jordan Zimmermann (8-3) Tuesday; Chris Sale (10-2) vs. Mike Pelfrey (1-6) Wednesday. All games 7:10 p.m.

At a glance: The Tigers swept a three-game series against the White Sox at Detroit in early June, and they've won seven of nine. The Sox have lost 14 of their last 18 and 11 of their last 12 against the AL Central. Jose Abreu homered Sunday and is batting .400 (14-for-35) with 3 doubles, 2 homers and 6 RBI over his last nine games. Shields is hoping for much better results after being shelled in his White Sox debut vs. the Nationals last Wednesday. In 18 career starts vs. Detroit, Shields is 7-6 with a 4.10 ERA.

Next: Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field, Friday-Sunday

- Scot Gregor