As has happened so many times this season, the White Sox paid for their youth Friday night.
Rookie right-fielder Magglio Ordonez misplayed Russ Davis’ eighth-inning double and it cost the Sox dearly. Jay Buhner scored on the play and Seattle held on for a 5-4 victory.
It was the Sox’s third straight loss as they fell to 1-4 on their West Coast trip.
With one out in the eighth, Sox reliever Keith Foulke walked Buhner. Then Davis launched a drive to deep right field that hit high off the wall and bounced toward the infield. By the time Ordonez could track the ball down, Buhner was almost halfway home. So Ordonez fired to third to nail Davis.
But the damage was done. The Mariners had broken the 4-4 tie.
Ordonez “just played it badly off the wall,” Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. “That’s inexperience. The next time he’ll be able to handle it better.”
The Sox threatened in the ninth with singles by Mike Caruso and Robin Ventura. But Ordonez popped out to end the game.
The Sox grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first on run-scoring hits by Albert Belle and Ventura. The Mariners tied the game three innings later on Buhner’s two-run homer and jumped ahead after loading the bases with two out. Joey Cora hit a sharp grounder up the middle that was smothered by second baseman Ray Durham. Durham’s effort saved an extra run, but Seattle still went ahead 3-2.
The Sox tied the game in the seventh on a monstrous home run by Albert Belle, his 38th of the year and 20th since the All-Star break.
Scott Eyre, making his first start since throwing five no-hit innings Aug. 12 against Oakland, gave up three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.
