Currently: After a torrid stretch of home-run hitting, the Chicago White Sox have picked a bad time to go quiet at the plate.
Chicago looks to move back into sole possession of first place in the AL Central on Tuesday night when it continues a three-game series with the Cleveland Indians.
The White Sox (77-60) lost for the fourth time in five games Monday, falling 5-0 to Cleveland (66-70) as Cliff Lee tossed a five-hitter to become the first Indians pitcher to reach 20 wins since Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry went 21-13 in 1974.
“That’s the best I’ve seen him throw against us in some time,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “He’s a 20-game winner for a reason. We got to him early and had an opportunity. Then he shut us down, just dominated us.”
Shin-Soo Choo had three hits and Asdrubal Cabrera drove in two runs to help the Indians snap a three-game losing streak. Chicago has been shut out 11 times, tied for the league lead.
The White Sox, who fell into a tie with idle Minnesota for first place in the Central, have been held to nine runs in their last five games, batting .191 during that stretch. Carlos Quentin, who leads the AL with 36 home runs, has two hits in his last 14 at-bats, while Alexei Ramirez is 4-for-18 (.222)
Chicago, which leads the majors with 199 home runs, has hit five homers in the first seven games of this nine-game road trip after hitting 16 during a six-game homestand. It has homered once in the last four games.
The White Sox, losers of 11 of 18 overall on the road, are 9-4 against Cleveland this season, dropping four of seven at Progressive Field.
Chicago tries to rebound on Tuesday when it hands the ball to John Danks (10-7, 3.30 ERA), who is hoping to avoid losing his third straight start. The left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings Wednesday in an 11-3 loss at Baltimore.
“John, he did not throw the ball the way (we’ve) seen him throw the ball,” Guillen said.
Danks is 6-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 13 road starts this season. He is 1-2 with a 3.67 ERA in six career starts against the Indians and has allowed two runs over 14 2-3 innings in two starts against them this season.
Looking to win his third consecutive start for Cleveland will be Fausto Carmona (7-5, 4.50), who gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings of a 9-7 victory over Detroit on Wednesday.
Carmona is 2-3 with a 5.09 ERA in six starts and two relief appearances against the White Sox. He beat Chicago on April 2, yielding one run and four hits in seven innings of a 7-2 win.
Ken Griffey Jr. was held out of the White Sox’s lineup on Monday because of tightness in his lower back and is considered day-to-day. Griffey is hitting .310 (9-for-29) with four doubles, six walks and a home run in his last nine games.
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