A lose-lose situation
Sox fall big as starter Floyd leaves with injury
The White Sox would have had enough to deal with Saturday facing Tampa Bay Rays star left-hander Matt Moore, the major-league leader in ERA.
But losing to Moore and the Rays 10-4 became secondary to the loss of starting pitcher Gavin Floyd to an elbow injury.
“He has a strain right now, but it’s one of those looking more like a DL stint, like he had last year,’’ manager Robin Ventura said.
“It keeps coming,’’ he said of the Sox’ mounting injury list. “You have to find a way to keep going.’’
Floyd left the game after 2⅔ innings, having thrown one strike to Evan Longoria. He walked off the mound with trainer Herm Schneider and Ventura.
The injury is described as a strain of the flexor muscle in his right elbow, the same injury he had last August that caused him to spend 15 days on the disabled list.
It was the second time he was sidelined last season with elbow problems. He went on the disabled list in July with elbow tendinitis.
The Sox will turn to lefty Hector Santiago to take Floyd’s spot in the rotation. Santiago worked 3⅔ innings after Floyd left Saturday.
The Sox will recall righthander Deunte Heath from Class AAA Charlotte to take Santiago’s role in middle relief.
“You hope [Floyd] is healthy and comes back soon, but it looks like I’ll fill in for a few starts,’’ Santiago said. “It seems every day something happens and someone goes down, but it’s part of the game, and you have to keep going.’’
The Sox already have five players sidelined, with worries about infielder Jeff Keppinger’s ailing back also continuing.
“You just keep going. You have no choice,’’ Ventura said. “It’s disappointing not to have guys you think will be there for you, but they don’t stop the schedule. You just keep going.”
Floyd took the loss to drop to 0-4 for his first winless April. In his four starts, he received eight runs of support.
The Rays pounded out 19 hits, while Moore and four relievers struck out 14, a season high for the team.
Moore (5-0) was dominant, getting nine strikeouts, including six in a row in the first and second after walking leadoff man Alejandro De Aza.
He became the fifth pitcher 23 or younger since 1980 to win five games by the end of April, and he tied the Rays’ franchise record for victories in a month.
Moore leads the majors in opponents’ batting average (.120) and has a majorleague-best 1.13 ERA.
And he won his last start last season, also at U.S. Cellular Field.
Adam Dunn’s solo home run in the fourth was the first hit off Moore and the only run for the Sox until the eighth, when they scored three off Kyle Farnsworth.
“Moore looked good last year, too,’’ Ventura said. “Nothing looks the same from him because he changes your eye level, goes in and out, changes speeds. He does everything.’’
Ventura said Santiago’s 3⅔ innings should be enough to “stretch him out’’ to take Floyd’s next start. The day off Monday also will help the rotation get extra rest.
Santiago was hit hard, allowing 10 hits and giving up four runs.
“You try to stretch him out to get him used to it,’’ Ventura said. “That was a lot for him from where he was and now where he’s [going]. Hopefully that’s enough for him because I don’t necessarily want to give him any more work [before starting].’’