Sox’ Floyd keeps up trend with quality start
The White Sox got a little taste of their own medicine Tuesday night against the Athletics in Oakland.
The Sox have been getting quality start after quality start, including gems such as Philip Humber’s perfect game Saturday at Seattle and Jake Peavy’s 3-hit shutout against the A’s in Monday night’s series opener.
Heading into Tuesday’s middle game at Oakland, the White Sox’ pitching staff led the American League in opposing batting average (.213), complete games (2) and shutouts (2) while ranking second in ERA (2.96) and strikeouts (143).
Gavin Floyd was on the mound for the Sox on Tuesday, and the right-handed starter continued the trend.
Matching the Sox’ strong pitching has been a challenge for opposing teams, especially on the West Coast trip, but A’s left-hander Tom Milone was up to the task against Floyd.
Floyd was good against the Athletics, allowing 1 run in 2 hits over 7 innings. But Milone was even better, and the soft-throwing lefty pitched Oakland to a 2-0 win over the White Sox.
Floyd (1-3) walked Daric Barton leading off the eighth inning and exited after striking out Luke Hughes.
Matt Thornton relieved Floyd and was greeted by Kurt Suzuki’s pinch-hit double, which just stayed fair down the left-field line. Eric Sogard’s two-out double off Thornton scored Suzuki.
Milone (3-1) pitched 8 innings and allowed 3 hits.
In the ninth, Sox pinch hitter Kosuke Fukudome reached on a two-out single against A’s closer Grant Balfour. Adam Dunn pinch hit after Fukudome and struck out as the White Sox’ winning streak ended at four games.
ŸHumber flew back to Chicago on Tuesday to be with his wife, Kristan, who is expecting the couple’s first child. Humber still is scheduled to make his next start, on Thursday night when the White Sox open a four-game series against the Red Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
ŸWhite Sox general manager Kenny Williams met with reporters before Tuesday’s game and was asked about the possibility of extending the contracts of promising players such as Humber and left-handed starter Chris Sale.
“Well, the only thing we are focusing on is our focus,” Williams said. “That means keeping distractions of any sort to a minimum. I would consider (contract extensions) right now a distraction.”
Williams prefers to keep his eyes on the present and focus on a team that has really come together under new manager Robin Ventura since the White Sox left Chicago last Thursday after losing three of four to Baltimore.
“I like the way that this club has adopted the personality of the coaching staff,” Williams said. “It’s a positive environment and obviously it’s a club that’s doing a lot of the things, the little things, to help itself win. It’s nice to see.”
sgregor@dailyherald.com