KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After another opportunity to extend momentum dissolved Tuesday night, Jake Peavy acknowledged his belief that the White Sox will need a big winning streak to have a reasonable chance to win the American League Central.
“We’re going to have to do it,” Peavy said after allowing a two-run single to nemesis Matt Treanor in the sixth inning that led to a 4-2 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. “There’s no doubt. With the position we’re in, we’re going to have to get hot.”
Peavy used the loss as an example of the barriers the Sox haven’t overcome to sustain success. The offense didn’t score after the first inning against rookie left-hander Danny Duffy. Then Peavy couldn’t solve the journeyman Treanor, who foiled Sox strategy after Eric Hosmer was walked intentionally to set up a potential inning-ending double play.
“I had to be pretty good to win with two runs, and I just wasn’t good enough,” said Peavy, whose breaking pitches appeared sharper after receiving extra rest to let his arm recuperate and get stronger. “I take full responsibility for that.”
The Sox (47-50) were fortunate in that their deficit remained at 4 1.2 games behind the Indians and Tigers in the Central.
They were more stubborn in their decision to walk Hosmer while protecting a 2-1 lead than they were against Treanor or Melky Cabrera, who hit an insurance home run in the seventh against Chris Sale and is now batting .394 against the Sox this season.
“If that situation came up again, (Treanor) would have to beat me again,” said manager Ozzie Guillen, who discussed the strategy with Peavy before Hosmer was walked.
Peavy threw a high fastball that Treanor ripped into center field to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Treanor is batting .429 lifetime (6-for-14) against Peavy, including a two-run game-winning single against him July 5 at U.S. Cellular Field.
“Although Treanor has gotten some hits off me, it’s not like he has beaten me to death,” Peavy said. “He broke his bat on the first ball down the line (a double). The (hit) in Chicago was a ground ball that found a hole. (Tuesday), he didn’t scald it but it was good enough to get them a win.”
Meanwhile, the Sox offense stalled after the first inning against Duffy, 22, who gained better command of his 95 mph fastball and curve.
They also wasted two hits from Alex Rios as the bottom four starters in the batting order went a collective 1-for-13.
“A game like that, you can do nothing about it,” Guillen said. “The guy was good.”
Twitter @MDGonzales
