Lance Lynn allows 2 HRs in the 1st inning of a 5-1 loss for the Chicago White Sox, who dropped to 5½ games out 1st in AL Central
Two pitches. Two swings. Four runs. That equation added up to a loss for the Chicago White Sox.
Starter Lance Lynn allowed two two-run homers in the first inning in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of 45,561 on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.
“It’s kind of how it’s going right now,” Lynn said. “Two pitches cost you four runs in the first inning, and then after that it’s just a battle. You put your team in a hole early. All and all, my stuff feels pretty good. I have to figure out how to have productive outings because this isn’t going to work.”
It was the third straight loss for the Sox, who dropped back to 10 games under .500 (29-39) and 5½ games out of first in the American League Central.
Lynn allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in five-plus innings.
“I know he gave up those four runs in the first inning, but I really thought he threw the ball good,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “The fastball was good, the cutter was good. He just got beat on two pitches he missed out over the plate. Other than that he was really efficient.”
The long ball has been an issue for Lynn. He has surrendered 18 homers this season, which is tied with the Toronto Blue Jays’ Yusei Kikuchi and Kansas City Royals’ Jordan Lyles for the most in the majors.
His 6.75 ERA is the second-highest in the majors among qualified pitchers. Lyles has the highest at 6.89.
The first inning was again problematic.
Lynn walked Freddie Freeman and then fell behind in the count to Will Smith, who homered to left-center on a 3-1 pitch. With two outs and a runner on first, David Peralta jumped on a first-pitch cutter for another two-run homer.
Just like that, the Sox were down four runs.
Lynn has had some struggles early in games. He’s allowed 19 runs in the first, which is also the most in the majors.
“Today it was pitch selection (in the first),” Lynn said. “There’s been times where I wasn’t quite as sharp, but when it’s all said and done, the sinker in that Will hit was down and in. It’s kind of his spot but it’s also in the area after throwing him away a bunch of times, you think he might have a chance to roll over it. But he’s ready for it. He’s been hot.
“He took a good swing. The cutter to Peralta, I thought he popped it up when he first hit it, but he got more wood on it than I thought. I have to be better, plain and simple.”
Lynn did settle in after the first, giving up just two singles over the next four innings. He allowed another single and a walk in the sixth and then exited. The Dodgers scored an unearned run in the inning.
Lynn released some of the emotions of the night by slamming an iPad in the dugout.
“I didn’t like it so I broke it,” Lynn joked. “I’m probably going to have to pay for it, yeah.”
It was also a tough night for the offense, which was limited to three hits. Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin allowed two hits — singles by Andrew Vaughn and Yoán Moncada — in six scoreless innings. He struck out six and walked two.
“He mixed his pitches well, didn’t really throw anything over the middle of the plate,” Vaughn said. “That’s why he’s a good pitcher. Mixes speeds well, can locate all three of his pitches.”
Vaughn had the team’s third hit, doubling in the ninth.
“The contact we made was on the ground,” Grifol said. “We’ve got to start getting the ball in the air. It’s pretty important for us to get the ball in the air. We’ve got some guys that have the ability to drive the ball out of the ballpark and that’s something we’ve been talking about and we’ll continue to talk about.
“We’ve got to control the strike zone and put the ball in the air. Get away from those.”
