White Sox frustrated after losing another close game

HOUSTON — White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas got almost all of Astros closer Josh Hader’s slider down in the zone in the ninth inning with the Sox trailing by a run after pinch hitter Mike Tauchman's shot.

But Vargas didn’t get enough to send the ball over the wall in left field that would have tied the game. Instead, the ball bounced off the wall for a two-out double. Left fielder Austin Slater struck out in the next at-bat to end the game.

“A good battle against a really good pitcher, [Vargas] put a good swing on it … need a couple more push-ups on that one,” manager Will Venable said.

The Sox (23-46) dropped Thursday’s game 4-3 against the Astros, losing the series. It was a frustrating day for the Sox’ offense. They struck out 16 times, and when they made hard contact it found the gloves of Astros defenders.

Vargas and catcher Edgar Quero enjoyed success Thursday. Quero had two RBIs, and he and Vargas combined for six of the Sox' 10 hits.

With the Sox the score tied in the third, Quero drove in Vargas on an opposite-field RBI single that gave the Sox a 1-0 lead.

Vargas led off the fifth with a triple with the Sox trailing by two runs. Quero once again drove Vargas in on an RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2. But the offense squandered several scoring chances, going 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

“Not a good day because we didn't win the ballgame,” said Quero, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. “These days we've been playing really good so we're going to keep playing hard."

Thursday’s loss was the Sox’ 21st one-run game, and they fell to 4-17. The Sox are frustrated and want to turn these close losses into wins.

“You’re starting to feel our reaction to these are no longer, ‘Way to go, we competed,’ it’s we’re upset that we didn’t win the game,” Venable said. That’s the reflection of the growth of this club, and that’s what you earn by playing good baseball.”

White saves the bullpen

Right-hander Owen White was huge for the Sox in Wednesday’s loss. Because of right-hander Sean Burke going 3 ⅔ innings, the Sox had a lot of innings to cover. White being able to wear 4 ⅓ innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, was vital to keeping the bullpen fresh for what is likely a bullpen game on Saturday.

“He helped us out big-time and I thought he did a great job,” Venable said of White. “I know we talked about it last night, the line maybe wasn’t great, but the early run was a bunch of soft contact and we asked him to do a lot, maybe asked him to cover an inning more than we should have.”

Injury updates

Starter Jonathan Cannon doesn’t have a timetable yet for his return from a lower back strain that forced the team to place him on the 15-day IL.

Venable said once Cannon starts feeling good, he’ll start participating in baseball activities.

Second baseman Lenyn Sosa (right hip flexor strain) will start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. Sosa was placed on the 10-day IL on June 4.