The Chicago White Sox possess the worst record in the majors as they head out on a six-game road trip.
The first three games will be against the Athletics, beginning Friday night in West Sacramento, Calif.
Chicago has won just six of 19 games this season and has dropped eight of its past 10. The trip will conclude with three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
The White Sox were outscored 21-11 while being swept in a three-game home set by the Tampa Bay Rays, ending with Thursday’s 5-3 setback.
“We haven’t had a ton to show for it, but hitting the ball hard,” White Sox manager Will Venable said after the latest loss. “Too much on the ground or at guys. They made a ton of plays, but stringing some good things for the offense.
“Still just missing that big hit and putting some of these crooked numbers up there. Have to keep going.”
Chicago has scored three runs or less 13 times this season and has the second-fewest runs in the majors (60). Only the San Francisco Giants (58) have fewer.
Among players with at least 30 at-bats, Chase Meidroth is the club’s leading hitter at a meager .222. Former Japanese star Munetaka Murakami has five homers through 19 games in the majors but is batting just .167 with 26 strikeouts in 60 at-bats.
Catcher Edgar Quero said he thinks it’s just a matter of time before the White Sox get their attack moving.
“Good contact makes you feel a little bit better and a little bit more confident,” he said. “Yeah, we are frustrated. We’ve been hitting the ball pretty well those three games (against Tampa Bay). “The last couple of games we’ve hit it pretty well. The ball is not going in the hole, but it’s part of the game, too. We need to keep fighting.”
The Athletics have been faring well and have won seven of their past nine games, counting Thursday’s 9-6 home loss to the Texas Rangers.
The Athletics had taken a one-run lead on Nick Kurtz’s wind-blown, three-run double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning before Texas scored four in the ninth.
In the seventh inning, the heavy wind gusts turned Josh Jung’s fly to right into a two-run homer for the Rangers.
“Probably one of the more difficult games that I’ve been a part of in terms of the elements,” said Athletics fifth-year manager Mark Kotsay, who played 17 seasons in the majors.
The disappointing ninth-inning collapse gave the A’s a four-game split with the Rangers.
“I think we’ll be OK,” said A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez, who gave up two runs in five innings on Thursday. “This team has a lot of heart, as you’ve seen based on the times when myself or the rest of the staff, they give up some runs and the offense picks up right away. But it’s a long season and we’ve got a good team.”
Right-hander Aaron Civale (2-0, 1.72 ERA) will start for the Athletics on Friday. Civale, 30, beat the New York Mets on Sunday when he allowed four hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 1-0 triumph.
Civale is 5-4 with a 4.82 ERA in 12 career outings against the White Sox. Andrew Benintendi is 5-for-13 with two homers off him.
Right-hander Davis Martin (2-1, 2.50 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago. Martin, 29, most recently lost to the Kansas City Royals 2-0 last Friday, allowing two runs and seven hits over seven innings.
Martin is 0-1 with a 2.61 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against the A’s. Lawrence Butler (2-for-8) has homered off him.
–Field Level Media
