Sox blow lead, drop series, lose Garcia

Developing their young talent and building up their relievers for trades, and maybe win some more games than last year, were some of the White Sox biggest priorities this season (in that order). On Wednesday, Avisail Garcia got hurt, their bullpen was annihilated once more for six runs in the eighth, and they dropped the game and series to a surely not very good Colorado team. To the White Sox credit, the 10-4 loss felt more like an unplanned fall down the stairs than a true blowout.

Kickstarted by lefty Scott Downs failing to retire lefty Justin Morneau to start the eighth, the Rockies piled in six runs into what was a 4-4 tie. Downs departed after failing to do his only job, and was followed by Ronald Belisario, who allowed hits to five of the six batters he faced before leaving with a sore back, and perhaps a sore neck from craning around repeatedly

The Sox originally lost their slim 4-3 lead on the play that claimed Garcia in the sixth. He reportedly jammed his shoulder diving for a sinking liner off the bat of DJ LeMahieu. When Garcia was in too much agony to control the ball through the exchange, his catch was ruled a hit and Justin Morneau scored to knot the game at 4.

This event calls on us to address the day's performance of Dayan Viciedo. Cleaning up against a right-handed pitcher for whatever reason, the still-young Cuban pitched in a truly awful day in every aspect. He went 0-4, struck out thrice, the third of which came with runners on second and third and one out in the fifth, after he chased awful sliders despite starting up in the count 3-1. After Conor Gillaspie's two-run single, go-ahead single bailed him out, Viciedo spurned 4-3 the lead in the sixth by drifting, then floating back lazily to turn a would-be Justin Morneau lineout into a leadoff double, then booting it off the wall into a triple.

After Erik Johnson made miracles happen to snag the first two outs while stranding Morneau at third and preserve the advantage, LeMahieu sprayed a very cursed liner to right field that Garcia laid out for and snagged.

Johnson left with one out left to get in the sixth, his dreams of a quality start after a poor beginning dashed. He probably would have been better off leaving sooner than try to preserve a one-run lead while at the end of his rope, but perhaps normal rules of leverage don't apply with this bullpen. Johnson did finish with four strikeouts to one walk over 5.2 innings. If nothing else, Michael Cuddyer has no chance against him.

Singles from Adam Eaton (two hits on the day) and Tyler Flowers plated runs in the second during a rally started by one of Avisail Garcia's two walks on the day. Rockies starter Juan Nicasio struck out six in five innings but left the game losing after Gillaspie single up the middle.

Some good things happened in this game but it's hard to remember. Maikel Cleto was dominant in 1.1 innings, striking out three.

Team Record: 4-5

Next game is tomorrow at 7:10 against the Indianas

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