CHICAGO -- Adept at digging holes for themselves, the Chicago White Sox still have not found a way to climb from them.
Their first-inning run disparity haunted them yet again Wednesday when an early three-run deficit turned into a 3-2 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the club's team-high sixth consecutive loss.
The White Sox have not only given up a baseball-leading 59 runs in the first inning, the 19 runs they have scored in the opening frame is the lowest of any team. It's a daily-double that has played a part in a 28-36 record that is a season-high eight games under. 500.
White Sox starter John Danks took the brunt of the club's first-inning woes this time, finding himself in a 3-0 hole just 15 pitches into the game. It didn't bode well since the White Sox entered the contest having gone scoreless in their last 25 innings.
Aside from the pitchers going through a mock first inning in the bullpen before the game, or the hitters simulating the opening inning somehow in the underground batting cage, the White Sox are at a loss to fix what ails them right out of the gate.
"I wish we had an answer for it," Danks said. "We're not trying to dig a hole early, but that's the way it's been. It's certainly something we've talked about and are working on. We want our guys to feel comfortable and having to battle back each day is tough. We'll keep working on it, but I don't have an answer for it. It just happens."
For a team void of all-around efforts this season, the first-inning development has been a team-wide phenomenon. The offense is just as much to blame. On Wednesday, Adam Eaton and Melky Cabrera were retired on ground outs in the first inning, while Jose Abreu flied out.
"We work hard every day to try to win games, it's not just a matter of one inning," Cabrera said through an interpreter. "We work hard every day to come here and win some games. Right now we are passing through a really tough stretch but I think that all the teams pass through it during a season and I think we have enough games ahead to try to figure it out and try to rebound."
Like Danks, Cabrera was much better in the ensuing innings. The switch hitter's RBI double in the sixth inning was his first extra-base hit batting right-handed this season. He then added a single from the right side in the eighth inning.
It was too little too late, though. Over the past three days, the White Sox have been outscored by the Pirates 17-2. In the first inning alone, the Pirates have an 8-0 advantage on the scoreboard this week.
How can it be fixed?
"That's a good question and I don't know if you necessarily have an answer for it," manager Robin Ventura said. "If they knew it, they wouldn't be giving up runs in the first inning. It is definitely concerning to be able to get through that first inning and not give up anything. After that, I thought (Danks) had great command. He was really changing speeds and doing things he's capable of. But we have to be able to mount more than the two runs (in the game)."
Ventura didn't even last four innings in this one, having been ejected by home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez in the fourth inning. Ventura was disputing an interference call on Cabrera, who drifted over home plate during Adam Eaton's successful steal of third base.
Eaton was ruled out because of the interference and Abreu followed with a single to right field. Instead of collecting their first run in three games, the White Sox saw their scoreless streak reach 29 that inning. It eventually reached 30 innings before they finally pushed across two runs in the sixth inning.
"It's not frustration, but every time we get an explanation about interpretation we're always on the wrong side of it," Ventura said. "You get tired of that."
The umpires' most recent explanation was hardly satisfying.
"He crossed over home plate," Ventura said, repeating what he was told. "We've had it before where Tyler (Flowers) was throwing and they say you have to make contact (for interference). I'm just tired of the interpretations."
Cabrera was even less thrilled with Marquez's call.
"(Ventura) showed the support for us, especially in that call because it was a really bad call from the umpire," Cabrera said. "His reaction gave us that support. I think it was important for us."
It just couldn't inspire a victory. Danks, for one, remains confident things can turn around.
"We feel like we're going to win every game," Danks said. "We have the guys to do it, but we're just not doing it. We're not playing consistent baseball and hopefully that will turn around tomorrow. But it's definitely frustrating. No one likes to lose and hopefully we can turn it around."
