This game had a little too much April in the White Sox for my liking. I'm guessing I'm not alone with this sentiment.
You had:
*Jeff Samardzija giving up a first-inning run on the second pitch of the game.
*Alexei Ramirez getting picked off to end the second inning.
*The offense taking a lot of wild swings against Ivan Nova, which made those baserunners more precious.
*A pop-up dropping behind shortstop with one out in the fourth (a shift on Brian McCann meant everybody pursued it at an unnatural angle and nobody took charge)
*Samardzija not taking the error well, giving up five runs in the fourth, then three more in the fifth (although two scored on Scott Carroll's watch.
Samardzija filled the box score in the wrong way in his first start after the trade deadline (4⅔ IP, 8 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 2 HBP). Brett Gardner absorbed the first HBP after Jacoby Ellsbury started the game with a homer, and given Samarddzija's red-assed history, Gardner didn't exactly take it in stride.
The rest of the game showed that Samardzija was probably just off. He didn't have his good slider, and his other pitchers weren't so swell, either. Perhaps his start looks a little different if somebody catches that pop-up with one out and nobody on in the fourth, but given the way the Yankees swing the bats, I feel safe in saying Samardzija wouldn't have lasted seven innings for an 11th consecutive start.
Making matters worse, Jose Abreu abused his shin with a vicious foul ball that had him hobbling. He still managed to hit a drive off the wall in center, but his bum wheel limited him to a single. He stayed in the rest of the game, made possible by using him as the designated hitter today.
Fortunately, there were a few signs that it's August.
*Adam Eaton reaching base three more times with a single, double and a walk (and it would've been a triple if not for fan interference). He also stole a base.
*Melky Cabrera going 2-for-4 with another RBI, and making a diving catch in left.
*Home runs for Ramirez (two games in a row) and Geovany Soto.
Carroll also made it easier to watch. He didn't exactly pitch lights-out baseball -- he gave up three runs (two earned) over the final 4⅓ innings, and also both inherited runners scored -- but he didn't make Robin Ventura go to the bullpen again with the Sox trailing 9-0 or 12-1, which was his job.
As expected, the Sox disposed of their single-use pitcher, sending him down to Charlotte after the game. The move restores the pitching staff to 12, with Trayce Thompson unofficially replacing him.
Also worth noting: The White Sox are 2-8 in their last 10 home games. John Danks picked up both wins.
Record: 50-53 | Box score | Play-by-play | Highlights