Gaffes gag Sox

Little did Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura know that confrontational first base umpire Gary Darling did him a favor Tuesday night by ejecting him in the top of the first inning for arguing an obstruction call against White Sox first baseman Adam Dunn.

Dunn was charged with an error for impeding the path of Torii Hunter despite the fact that Dunn never made contact with Hunter, who had apparently given up on eluding a tag by second baseman Jeff Keppinger to complete a rundown.

Nevertheless, the Sox's next three errors were more convincing during a 6-2 loss that made the miscues more glaring.

The Sox have made seven errors in their past two games that have led to eight unearned runs.

The Tigers coasted without 2012 American League most valuable player Miguel Cabrera, who was sidelined due to a sore left hip flexor muscle.

Tuesday's four errors were a season high and were costly, although the Sox didn't score until Paul Konerko hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth that prevented the Sox from suffering their 10th shutout.

"I don't think there's any point you just give up on it," Ventura said of the defensive improvement. "It's an important part of the game, and you've got to just keep harping on it. There's nothing else you can do but keep getting after it."

The Sox increased their season error total to 68 – two shy of last year's total.

Third baseman Conor Gillaspie committed a fielding error that led to three runs in the fourth. Right fielder Alex Rios was charged with a throwing miscue after Hernan Perez hit a sacrifice fly to cap the three-run fourth.

And in the sixth, Perez hit an RBI triple and scored when left fielder Dayan Viciedo bobbled the ball four times near the warning track in left center.

The mistakes are alarming, especially since the Sox returned six position players from a team that finished tied with Seattle for first place in the American League in fielding in 2012.

"I don't think anybody saw this coming this year with the way we played last year and we pretty much have the same pieces," Paul Konerko said. "The ball just got rolling down the hill the wrong way, and we haven't stopped it. If we knew the answer, if we knew how to stop it, we've tried all different kinds of approaches."

Those approaches included a 50-minute workout five hours before a game at Target Field on May 14, but the miscues have resurfaced and haven't been limited to the fielding side.

Alejandro De Aza was picked off first base in the third that stunted a Sox rally.

"I know as a team it's a shame because the staff works hard," Konerko said. "We're on top of things, we really are. Everybody addresses the things as they happen we just haven't been able to stop the bleeding when it comes to that stuff. It's a shame because we've cost our pitchers a lot of games where they should have had better chances to win games. It's definitely a good lesson in showing what defense can do and keep you in games, and this year has been the reverse. It's tough."

Source:http://sunatmasal.blogspot.com/2013/07/gaffes-gag-sox.html

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