Orioles 3, White Sox 2: As predictable as it gets

If you had to draw up a stereotypical way for the White Sox to lose tonight's game ... it would have looked an awful lot like tonight's game.

First, the opponent was the Orioles, so it was going to be close enough to evoke frustration instead of indifference. And the opposing starter's last name was Chen, so it was going to be low-scoring (Wei-Yin Chen, not Bruce).

You had John Danks on the mound, and, of course, he pitched tough until the top of the sixth inning. With one out, he gave up a single, homer and another homer, as the Orioles broke open a scoreless game to lead 3-0.

A.J. Pierzynski smacked a two-run double to make it interesting in the bottom half. Alex Rios followed by shooting a single through the left side. Pierzynski had to make sure it got past J.J. Hardy, he only advanced to third, putting runners on the corners with one out.

Of course, Alexei Ramirez popped out to keep Pierzynski at third. And, of course, Alex Rios fell for the fake-to-third-throw-to-first move, getting picked off by Darren O'Day. And of course, Rios didn't even get into a rundown to allow Pierzynski the chance to force a throw home, and see if the Orioles could screw it up.

Of course, the Sox had two other chances to tie. Alejandro De Aza tripled with two outs in the seventh. Of course, Brent Morel stranded him.

And in the ninth, the Sox loaded the bases off Baltimore closer Jim Johnson. Rios walked, Alexei Ramirez wasted an out by bunting him to second, J.J. Hardy gave the bunt back by misplaying a chopper, putting runners on the corners with one out.

Of course, Kosuke Fukudome (pinch-hitting for Gordon Beckham) hit a rocket -- right at third baseman Wilson Betemit. And after Alejandro De Aza, the game found Morel once again. And, of course, Morel could only muster a weak chopper to third. Betemit made it look easy, and the Sox lost their third straight as a result.

Of course.

Bullet points:

• De Aza's triple was timely, since he had his hilarious three-base result via Delmon Young overruled earlier in the day.
• The attendance: 11,267 fans. That's the lowest since they drew 10,520 and 10,800 in back-to-back games April 6-7, 2005.
• The pitching was fine. Aside from his customary sixth-inning struggles, he spent most of the night controlling the game, and he induced two double plays when Baltimore threatened.

Record: 5-5 | Box score | Play-by-play