White Sox Snake Bitten Again, 3-0

The White Sox, on the road to 100 losses, got twice as many hits as the Diamondbacks, on the road to a probable playoff spot, eight to four. Unfortunately, Arizona cleverly put three of those four hits into the same inning, along with a couple of walks, while the Sox only got two hits in an inning once, both of which were singles.

Hence, the 3-0 loss. Of course, Sox hitters striking out 14 times while never bothering to draw a walk didn’t help.

The big Snake inning came in the third. Sox starter Luis Patiño showed no signs of his usual wildness as he cruised through the first seven batters, helped in one case by a leaping Zach Remillard.

But after a bloop single fell into short center just off the tip of the glove of the racing Elvis Andrus, Patiño gave up a single, walk, double, walk, single, which was more than Arizona would turn out to need.

That ended the starter’s day, and the bullpen did a shutdown job the rest of the way, especially Deivi García, who got out of that inning with a double play and was perfect for two more. Four more relievers each had a scoreless inning, with only Tanner Banks giving up a hit and both Garrett Crochet (looking pretty good for just his second start back from a three-month IL stint) and Bryan Shaw walking a batter.

On the offensive side, the offense was offensive. They did manage those eight hits, including Eloy Jiménez and Lenyn Sosa, each getting a double and single, but 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and, of course, zilch walks didn’t help.

Did I mention that the Diamondbacks’ starter had an ERA over six coming into the game? Of course, their starter Tuesday night came in at nearly seven, but they at least the Sox scored on him.

The loss moves the Sox to 60-98, so they only need two more losses to achieve that elusive 100-loss season they’ve been headed toward all year. The chance to get to 99 comes tomorrow afternoon on a dollar ticket day, with Touki Toussaint and the well-known star Undecided as the pitching matchup. If Undecided has an ERA under about 10, the Sox may be in trouble.