This series against the last-place Orioles might be called the calm before the storm, given upcoming road games at Boston and New York. But the White Sox are in no position to take any disturbance lightly.
“No matter who you play against or where you go, all the games are the same,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “It’s a tough stretch because we play a couple of teams that have good talent.
“Every game in the American League is tough. This stretch, there’s going to be a lot of games on the road, and if we play badly, I don’t have to answer [media] questions every day. I’m looking forward to see what we have, what this ballclub is up to, and hopefully everything goes well for us.”
The Sox didn’t play Friday’s game very well, losing to the Orioles 5-1 before 34,125 disappointed Elvis Night fans at U.S. Cellular Field as Brian Roberts spoiled the night with a pair of home runs. The loss dropped the Sox three games behind the Tigers in the American League Central pending Detroit’s game at Oakland.
Sox starter Gavin Floyd deserved better from his offense as he gave up four runs in 7 1/3 innings, although one of them scored after he left the game.
Floyd, who had lost only once in his previous seven starts, held the Orioles to four hits through seven innings, one of them a third-inning home run by Roberts.
“[Mark] Buehrle’s the one who makes the most money and people love the most,” Guillen said before the game. “But there’s no doubt the last couple of years that Floyd throws the ball the best.
“This kid, he can dominate anybody. Last year, when we needed the most out of him, he got it for us. Hopefully he stays at the same level he is. He has a chance to be a pretty good one.”
Roberts ruined his night, however. He came back with a two-run shot in the eighth inning with former Cub Felix Pie on first to make it 3-1.
Floyd left with two runners on base, although one of them was caught stealing.
The other runner scored when Nick Markakis tripled off reliever Matt Thornton, and the Orioles made it 5-1 when Markakis scored on Ty Wigginton’s hit off Tony Pena.
DH Jim Thome, back in the lineup after missing the last series with a sore left heel, tied the game 1-1 in the fourth inning with a leadoff home run, the 564th of his career. That moved him past Reggie Jackson into 12th all-time.
“Every time Jim’s in the lineup, his presence makes the ballclub better,” Guillen said. “Especially right now because we’re very right-handed.”
The Sox left three runners on base in the first two innings against starter Jeremy Guthrie and three more in the fifth and sixth innings.
In the fifth, Jayson Nix and Scott Podsednik singled with one out, but Gordon Beckham bounced into a double play.
An inning later, Jermaine Dye led off with a single and Thome walked. But Paul Konerko, Alex Rios and A.J. Pierzynski flied out.
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dvandyck@tribune.com
Up next: Saturday vs. Orioles, 6:05 p.m., WGN-Ch. 9
