Chicago White Sox drop series finale 6-3 to Texas Rangers, their 8th loss in 11 games
Michael Kopech didn’t allow a hit until there were two outs in the third inning.
After the fourth inning, he was out of the game.
A high pitch count factored in manager Pedro Grifol’s decision to make a pitching change for the fifth in the 6-3 loss to the Texas Rangers in front of 18,963 on Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“He’s thrown a lot,” Grifol said. “He had to work hard in those four innings (throwing 86 pitches). I just decided it’s one of those games where I’m going to give him a break. Instead of running him up to 100-105 (pitches). He wanted to go back out. He was good. Strong. But it was one of those games I’m going to give him a break today. He’s got six days of rest. Regroup and get back after it.”
Kopech allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks in his shortest outing of the season in terms of innings and pitches.
“If we didn’t have a day off tomorrow and if we didn’t have some length back there (available in the bullpen), I probably would have let him go back out,” Grifol said. “But he’s thrown a lot. He’s made every start but one and (the one) wasn’t a full five days (of rest), just gave him a couple of days extra (off, prior to a May 19 start against Kansas City).
“I think all these guys at some point need a little bit of a break. Today was a good day since we had a couple of long guys back there, we felt we could cover the game and actually give him a break. Today was a good day to do that.”
Jonah Heim hit a three-run homer in the fifth against reliever Jimmy Lambert, making it 6-1, and the Sox couldn’t climb out of the hole.
The Sox got four hitless relief innings from Touki Toussaint in his debut with the team, but they could only produce four hits while dropping the series finale to the American League West-leading Rangers. Coupled with Minnesota’s extra-innings win against Boston, the Sox are 5 1/2 games out of first in the AL Central.
The Sox lost two of three in the series and eight of 11 overall.
It’s the second straight start Kopech didn’t make it through five innings after allowing one run on six hits in 4 1/3 innings (102 pitches) on Friday at Seattle.
“I feel all right,” Kopech said. “And more so, to be frank, a little bit embarrassed about how I’ve been pitching. I know what this team needs and I know I’ve been not giving that. To not be getting more than five innings per start, especially in my last few, it’s embarrassing to say the least.
“I’ll be better.”
Kopech said he understood Wednesday’s decision from a larger perspective.
“There’s a bigger thought process to this season,” said Kopech, who is 3-6 with a 4.06 ERA in 15 starts. “I can appreciate what he has to say, keeping me resting and everything. As a competitor I wanted it (but) as a part of this team, I knew I didn’t have it today. So, I did understand the move. Just wanted to be better. He saw a bigger picture and I can appreciate that.
“I didn’t have it today. He saw that. To be able to go out there and do what I needed to do to go deeper and help the team win, to be honest we are looking for wins right now. To not be in a position to do my best to help the team win is a tough pill to swallow. I’ve got a few days before the next one and prepare for that one with a little bit extra rest. He made note of that.”
The Sox suffered a setback before the first pitch when catcher Yasmani Grandal was scratched with right knee soreness. He’s day to day. Grifol said Grandal slipped doing his pregame work.
“He probably could have gone but it’s risky when you’ve got two (catchers) and one guy comes out in the first or second inning,” Grifol said. “We decided to go ahead and give him the day.”
Kopech is already looking ahead to his next day on the mound.
“The idea today was to throw strikes and get ahead and (I) did a really poor job of that,” Kopech said. “And I know that (the Rangers) are a good team. I needed to put myself in good leverage and I gave them a lot of leverage today and wasn’t able to do what I need to do. The next one I’ll be better.”
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