Things fall apart after Soroka exits
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The White Sox have been beaten by one run three times and by nine on two occasions.
Six games into the season, charting the ways they lose has become the way to watch.
The 10-1 thrashing from the Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday was the latest rout. It was a tidy 2-1 game after Michael Soroka pitched six innings of tworun ball, allowing six hits and no walks while striking out two, but an eight-run calamity against relievers Deivi Garcia and Dominic Leone in the seventh inning made a mess of it.
Three walks, an error by shortstop Braden Shewmake on a routine ground ball, a throw from right fielder Dominic Fletcher to the wrong base that allowed a run to score and a home run by MJ Melendez against Leone were the lowlights. “Physical mistakes are OK, but we made some fundamental mistakes we’re not accustomed to making,” manager Pedro Grifol said.
Gavin Sheets, the designated hitter for the Sox in place of injured Eloy Jimenez, doubled and walked three times. He has reached base seven consecutive times.
Sheets also was thrown out easily at home by right fielder Hunter Renfroe when he tried to score on Shewmake’s short fly ball, a decision that smacks of the Sox’ inability to score runs. It was 2-1 at the time. It was also the fourth double play for the Royals, who turned three on the infield.
“Being aggressive in that situation,” Sheets said. “He got flat-footed, and we decided to take a chance.
Seth Lugo (1-0) gave up one run in 6⅔ innings for the Royals (3-4), whose starters have a 1.43 ERA.
“He was throwing the ball really well; sometimes you have to take chances,” Sheets said.
“Got to keep battling. We have to show up [Friday], can’t lose confidence, can’t lose the expectation to win. It’s not the start we wanted, but we have to come to the field expecting to win.”
Frustration for Jimenez
Fans are frustrated by Jimenez’s recurring injury problems since the start of his career, the latest an adductor strain suffered while running out a ground ball Sunday.
Jimenez is right there with them.
“It is frustrating, you know?” Jimenez said after taking batting practice. “Right now it’s just move the page and keep going. Things are going to happen. Sometimes I want to go home, but I don’t want to give up like that. I’m going to keep working. I’m going to be here for my team.”
It’s as dejected as Jimenez has been, if not more, after an injury. He described it as a groin issue.
That “go home” part didn’t sound so good. “Remembering all these years with everything that’s happened, it’s really frustrating,” he said when asked about that.
“I’m just asking myself, ‘What next? What are we going to do to get out of it?’ ”
Grifol said Jimenez, who missed his third start, could be available to pinch-hit but he did not play.
He’s waiting for his fortunes to change.
“At some point, it’s going to,’’ Jimenez said. ‘‘I know because I’ve been working. You guys see it. Just keep working, and I know someday it’s going to [turn].”
No need for Nick
Nick Nastrini’s debut in the rotation might not come as soon as expected. Nastrini’s velocity was down — general manager Chris Getz said illness was a factor — in a lackluster start for Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday.
A fifth starter won’t be needed till Monday in Cleveland, but a bullpen game is possible.