'Nobody had any fun': White Sox lose ugly in Tampa Bay
A subdued Tony LaRussa minced no words after watching his White Sox suffer a 9-0 loss in the rubber game of a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Sunday.
"That's an ugly loss," LaRussa said. "Wasn't any fun being a part of it. Nobody had any fun."
Well, the Rays did during an afternoon in which they racked up 12 hits, struck out 10 and turned two double plays. In the process, the AL East leaders handed the Sox their worst drubbing of the season.
Of course, it's just one game and LaRussa's 72-53 squad still owns a nearly insurmountable lead over Cleveland in the AL Central. The Sox were also playing without Tim Anderson for a second straight game, with LaRussa holding out the star shortstop because "his legs are still barking."
But the Rays (77-48) represent the caliber of competition the Sox will see in the postseason, so LaRussa doesn't want to simply scrap Sunday's affair.
"Believe it or not, it's games like this (where) you think about what they did right and what we didn't," the veteran manager said. "And that's how you learn and you get better. There were several things we will look at."
One will be to emphasize to starter Reynaldo Lopez that there's no time to relax against an opponent like the Rays.
Lopez, who had allowed just 11 hits in 25 innings entering Sunday, gave up 3 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings. The most damage came in the third after No. 9 hitter Kevin Kiermaier was thrown out trying to steal and leadoff man Brandon Lowe grounded out.
Inning over, right? Not so fast.
The Rays jumped on Lopez (2-1) with 3 straight hits and extended their lead from 1-0 to 3-0.
"Overall there's things that he's doing really well," LaRussa said. "But the runs he did give up, there's teaching points there. In fact, just about every run we gave up there's a teaching point."
Another of which will go to reliever Jose Ruiz, who was called upon to hold the Rays in check after Garrett Crochet loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth. Backup catcher Francisco Mejia proceeded to rip a 96 mph fastball to right-center for a 3-RBI double that gave the Rays a 6-0 lead, which all but sealed the Sox's fate.
Third baseman Yoan Moncada did extend his hitting streak to nine with the Sox's only extra-base hit - a double in the sixth.
The Sox ended up splitting their six games with the Rays this season.
"So we competed," LaRussa said. "But you play a big-league club and there's big-league execution that you've got to handle. They do it to you; you do it to them. In respect that you're a better club, you do it more often. You're deeper.
"But I'm just sitting in the moment and this is a stinker."
LaRussa's squad, which is 5-7 since Aug. 10, begins a four-game series at Toronto on Monday, then hosts the Cubs next weekend.
Around the horn:
Rays starter Chris Archer, making his first start since April 10, departed with left hip tightness after allowing 1 hit and striking out four in 2 innings. The Rays ended up using five pitchers and saw Josh Fleming record a rare 3-inning save. ... The Sox were 3-for-27 with runners in scoring position in the series. ... Tampa Bay has scored 8 or more runs in 12 of the last 16 games. ... The Rays put Nelson Cruz on the COVID-19 injured list. ... Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal (torn left knee tendon) and OF Billy Hamilton (oblique) are on rehab assignments with Triple-A Charlotte.