Cleveland trashes Sox, 7-3

There’s not a lot of highlights to speak of these days for the Chicago White Sox.

Hunting and pecking doesn’t turn up much.

In yesterday’s loss, there was Matt Skole getting his first major league hit, and then his first major league homer.

This evening, during a 7-3 blowout at Cleveland, whaddya got? Yolmer Sánchez hit his sixth triple, tops in the majors? Lucas Giolito didn’t walk or hit anyone? Tim Anderson stole his 12th base? Daniel Palka had two of Chicago’s three extra-base hits (double, homer)?

Yeesh.

On the bright side, this game was once tied ... 0-0.

It’s a measure of how fast and far potential Opening Day starter Giolito [Ed: Raises hand ...] has fallen that this relatively atrocious outing is considered a step in the right direction. (“It definitely felt good being back in the strike zone,” Giolito told reporters after the game.)

The righthander surrendered nine hits (seven stayed in the park) and five earned runs in six innings, with three Ks. Game score: a lackluster 34. Positives? Giolito’s control was better (63% of pitches for strikes) and never outright lost his composure, as evidenced by no walks or HBPs.

But the relief corps wasn’t much better. White Sox pitching is so bad that the only solid outing by an arm came from Bruce Rondón — who threw five pitches in the game.

Offensively, the White Sox couldn’t muster much against gangly Cleveland hurler Mike Clevenger, who gave up just four hits and an earned run in 6 ²⁄₃ innings, striking out seven. The White Sox had just three extra-base hits and seven overall.

Palka logged a strong 2-for-4 game, with six total bases, but that just about wraps it for the White Sox offense.

Cleveland entered this series in first place, but just a game over .500. With these two wins, plus a very winnable Corey Kluber start tomorrow in a quick turnaround game, it seems the Chicago 9 are giving Cleveland a massive shove to run away with the Central, finally.

Barf.