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DETROIT \u2014 The game was in the White Sox\u2019 grasp until it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Despite holding a two-run lead and playing clean baseball for much of Sunday, the Sox were wobbly once the bullpen was handed the ball.<\/p>\n
Reliever Fraser Ellard \u2014 who did a good job in the eighth of getting left fielder Kerry Carpenter out with runners on first and second \u2014 allowed a single to third baseman Andy Ibanez, forced Trey Sweeney into a force out and walked Zach McKinstry after a 10-pitch at-bat to get runners on first and second with one out.<\/p>\n
Ellard said he should\u2019ve taken a breath after the McKinstry at-bat to re-focus on pinch hitter Riley Greene, but he didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one I\u2019m really kicking myself is the Riley Greene at-bat,\u201d Ellard said.<\/p>\n
Right-hander Jordan Leasure entered the game following the walk and immediately walked Ibanez to score a run.<\/p>\n
The final nail in the coffin came when first baseman Spencer Torkelson knocked a double to left field to drive in McKinstry and Greene and send the Sox to their fifth straight defeat after Sunday\u2019s 4-3 walk-off loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt comes down to I walked two guys and those guys came in and scored,\u201d Ellard said.<\/p>\n
After a sterling Martin Perez performance \u2014 he threw 6 1\/3 innings, allowing one run, two walks and striking out four \u2014 the bullpen crumbled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe lost in the last inning,\u201d Perez said. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the game, man. As a pitcher you\u2019ve got to stay on the attack. We got behind, and we walked a couple of guys, and they got a double. But it\u2019s still early; I trust my team, and I trust my pitchers. We\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
It started with right-hander Mike Clevinger in the seventh inning. The veteran got Javier Baez to fly out for the second out of the inning, but he had back-to-back walks of Trey Sweeney and McKinstry, forcing manager Will Venable to turn to Cam Booser to get the final out of the inning. Clevinger\u2019s performance portended the performance of the rest of the bullpen, which couldn\u2019t pound the strike zone.<\/p>\n
Clevinger threw 15 pitches (four strikes), Murfee threw 19 pitches (11 strikes), Ellard threw 18 pitches (10 strikes) and Leasure threw 10 pitches (five strikes) and Booser threw four pitches (three strikeouts). In total, five Sox relievers allowed six walks. The relievers didn\u2019t give the defense a chance to make plays.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut just too many walks out of the bullpen. We expect better out of those guys,\u201d Venable said.<\/p>\n
Venable was searching for answers but could find none. He made sound decisions, like the quick hook on Murfee in the eighth inning to bring in Ellard against Carpenter \u2014 lefty on lefty.<\/p>\n
The three-game sweep against the Tigers revealed all of the Sox\u2019s flaws. They were outscored 18-9 and their bullpen wasn\u2019t dependable. Entering Sunday\u2019s games, Sox relievers had the 13th-worst bullpen ERA in the majors (4.13).<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to be competitive in the zone,\u201d Venable said of Ellard and Leasure. \u201cYou look at the McKinstry at-bat; that was a good at-bat, where he battled and earned that walk. But Fraser\u2019s in the game there to get those guys out, and we\u2019ve got to make them put the ball into play.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a would-be win turned into a loss, the Sox have to turn the page to Cleveland to end their woes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have good game plans, our starters are putting us in positions to win,\u201d Ellard said. \u201cThe overall performance and product has been a lot cleaner, just got to put everything together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n