Afternoon Box Score: White Sox Stumble In Texas
By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 6, 2012 9:05PM
The White Sox have a new manager and hitting coach in Robin Ventura and Jeff Manto, respectively. Yet the team's inability to drive in runs didn't leave town with Ozzie Guillen and Greg Walker. The Sox stranded seven runners in scoring position and in many ways showed an inability to play more than station-to-station baseball as they lost their season opener to the two-time defending American League champions.
The good news is the pitching looked solid. John Danks pitched well enough to earn a win, giving up three runs over six innings. Addison Reed and Matt Thornton looked good in relief, but we still don't know who the White Sox closer is. Texas starter Colby Lewis struck out nine over six innings in his first Opening Day start, and Ian Kinsler hit a two run homer to pace Texas.
Adam Dunn tied a major league record with a solo home run in the sixth inning, his eighth consecutive opening day with a tater. Let's not start the campaign for Dunn to earn AL Comeback Player of the Year yet as it's only one game. (But if they did give the award to the player who doesn't look drunk and ate a burrito at 3 a.m. each at bat, then Dunn is in the early running.)
Another early indicator this could be a long season: Gordon Beckham struck out three times at the bottom of the lineup and Brent Morel looked even worse batting second.