Defensive miscues cost White Sox in an 8-3 loss to the Brewers
CHICAGO — Christian Yelich hit a slicing fly ball to left field. Eloy Jimenez took a couple of steps back, then raced forward and toward the line.
The Chicago White Sox left fielder couldn’t come up with the catch, then tumbled into the stands, getting caught up momentarily in the protective netting as Yelich raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
That was the first of four runs in the fifth inning for the Milwaukee Brewers, who defeated the Sox 8-3 on Thursday night at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Sox dropped their second straight due in part to one of their roughest innings of the season.
Yelich’s unusual home run tied the score at 2-2 and seemed to turn the momentum the Brewers’ way. Sox starter Gio Gonzalez walked the next batter and surrendered a two-run home run to left to Jedd Gyorko, giving the Brewers a 4-2 lead.
Justin Smoak followed by reaching on an error when Jose Abreu didn’t catch Leury Garcia’s throw to first. Smoak scored on Orlando Arcia’s single against reliever Matt Foster.
The bad breaks cost Gonzalez, who allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 4? innings.
Garcia knocked in all three runs for the Sox. He hit a two-run home run in the second and had an RBI double in the ninth. The Sox struck out 14 times, and Luis Robert went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.
Right fielder Nomar Mazara left the game in the seventh with a bruised left foot after getting hit by a pitch. X-rays were negative and he’s day to day.
The Sox trailed 5-2 but brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the seventh. Zack Collins hit a fly to right-center that Mark Mathias caught at the wall for the third out.
The Brewers tacked on three runs in the eighth off Steve Cishek, who walked two and hit two batters.
The Sox begin a three-game series Friday against the Cleveland Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field.
———
©2020 Chicago Tribune
Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
