White Sox's frustration boils over in 7-3 loss to Oakland
Nothing has come easy for the White Sox this season.
It's nearly August and the team that was the overwhelming favorite to win the AL Central still can't get out of its own way.
They still can't win home games.
They still can't overcome mistakes.
The good news for the Sox? They remain in contention in a weak division and there is plenty of time to make a run.
The bad news? The White Sox have been saying that since May.
On Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Sox lost to the Athletics 7-3.
They now stand at 49-50 and are 21-28 at home.
"Weird one," second baseman Josh Harrison said. "Playing at home, you want to win these games. We have to come back tomorrow, clean up a little bit. The schedule's been a little weird the past week, days off here and there.
"But no excuses, we have to show up and do what we're supposed to do."
After Jose Abreu's RBI single in the first inning gave the crowd of 28,503 an early jolt, the first baseman dropped a routine throw for an error in the second and Stephen Piscotty wound up making the White Sox pay with a 3-run homer off starter Lance Lynn.
Oakland came in at 38-63 - the worst record in the American League.
The Sox's frustration boiled over in the seventh inning.
With Tim Anderson at the plate with two outs after Harrison hit a 2-run homer to cut the Athletics' lead to 5-3, he argued a called strike that was up and in.
Not only was Anderson ejected by Nick Mahrley, the bill of his batting helmet made contact with the home-plate umpire's head.
Anderson is likely facing a suspension, and manager Tony La Russa was also ejected.
After the game, Anderson declined to discuss the incident.
La Russa thought Mahrley was too quick in tossing the White Sox's shortstop.
"I was disappointed at the umpire," La Russa said. "I don't think Tim cursed him. When you don't allow emotions, you've got a bunch of robots out here playing.
"You've got to let people get emotional, as long as they don't get disrespectful or vulgar. If you try to take the emotion out of the game, it's not entertaining."
Lynn pitched 5⅔ innings and allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits.
In addition to Piscotty, he gave up solo home runs to Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus while striking out eight and walking none.
"When you look over the course of the game, when you strike out as many as you did and don't walk anybody, the stuff is there," Lynn said. "I've just got to keep the ball in the ballpark and stop making mistakes. So it's one of those ones you take some positives from it but when it's all said and done, I've got to keep the ball in the ballpark."