The White Sox’s offense can’t put together a big inning, while the pitching staff is giving up big innings at an alarming rate.
That’s a lethal combination for a team that considers itself a contender.
“We need to get on a roll here,” Frank Thomas said. “We’ve hit a bleeding spot that we’ve got to stop. In the past few days, it’s getting out of control. Other teams have been through it. I guess it’s our turn. The toughest thing is getting out of it. Once we do I think we’ll be fine.”
Sox pitchers have given up four or more runs in an inning 17 times in 55 games, including once in each of their last four losses. They’ve endured a seven-run inning by Oakland, eight-run innings by Anaheim and Cleveland and a 10-run inning by Seattle.
Although the Sox rank third in the American League in runs scored with 300, that ranking is misleading because of all their blowouts. The Sox have failed to score more than one run in an inning over their last 34 innings and haven’t scored more than two runs in an inning since a five-run second against Detroit in May 25, a span of 59 innings.
“We had a couple of shots with men on second and third and only one out and didn’t get any runs,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “If we had scored runs in those situations, it could have made for a different ballgame.”
But Manuel’s strategy may have cost them a big inning in the second Saturday, after Thomas singled, Sandy Alomar Jr. reached on a bunt single with one out and Aaron Rowand doubled home the first run.
But with runners on second and third, Manuel called for Royce Clayton to attempt a safety squeeze bunt with the slow-footed Alomar at third. Indians third baseman Travis Fryman made the play easily as Alomar remained at third. Ray Durham was called out on strikes, ending the threat with only one run.
“We just find ways to lose instead of win,” Clayton said. “That’s all that’s happening right now.”
Minor scare: Alomar was removed before a seventh-inning at-bat when he felt lightheaded walking to the plate. Alomar suffers from an irregular heartbeat, and Manuel removed him for precautionary reasons.
“He wanted to stay,” Manuel said. “With all the things that have happened around that type of scenario, I didn’t want to take a chance.”
Alomar said the dizziness occurs when he takes a drink of cold water on a hot day. He suffered chest pains in Texas last month when he forgot to take his heart medication.
“I’m fine,” Alomar said. “It just takes a second and I have to kneel down. I’ve got to be more careful with what I drink.”
Deja vu? With two outs in the fifth, Todd Ritchie fell behind 2-1 on No. 9 hitter Chris Magruder, prompting a mound visit from pitching coach Nardi Contreras.
When Contreras visited Keith Foulke on the mound in the ninth inning of Wednesday night’s game against the Yankees, Bernie Williams delivered a two-run game-tying single on Foulke’s next pitch.
No sooner had Contreras returned to the dugout when Ritchie served up an RBI single to Magruder on the next pitch, cutting the Sox’s lead to 2-1.
Day later: Did Manuel’s team meeting Friday have any effect Saturday?
“Meetings are not going to change your luck,” Thomas said.
“Sometimes you’ve got to stop things a little quicker and focus more on what you need to accomplish to win. Having a meeting is not going to stop the losing. I think guys came out with more fire, but were disappointed after that crazy [eight-run] inning and never recovered.”
Sunday files: Kenny Lofton took batting practice Saturday and will return to the starting lineup Sunday against Chuck Finley. Thomas is expected to return to the No. 3 spot against the Indians left-hander.
