White Sox make not-so-clean getaway from Cleveland

CLEVELAND — Another series, -another series lost.

Make it nine in a row on the road and 1-12-1 overall in the last 14 series for the White Sox after an 8-4 loss to the Guardians on Thursday before a holiday crowd of 29,404 at Progressive Field.

Having played somewhat better of late, with four wins in six games going in and a 5-4 record against the American League Central-leading Guardians (54-31), swiping a series in Cleveland was within reach.

But the Sox (25-64) had one of those Soxy days. First baseman Gavin Sheets threw late to catcher Korey Lee on a high chopper instead of taking a sure out in a four-run inning, Lee’s interference on Josh Naylor erased second baseman Nicky Lopez’s diving stop of Naylor’s ground ball and Chad Kuhl, who threw 94 pitches in relief on a bullpen day, forgot about Jose Ramirez rounding third to score as he covered first base.

Lee, whose development at a key position has been a positive in a season of negatives, trotted to first base with two outs in the ninth thinking it was ball four. Then he got called out on strikes to end the game.

Right fielder Tommy Pham mishandled a base hit that cost the Sox 90 feet on the basepaths, although it didn’t figure in the scoring.

But you get the picture.

“Probably go back to [the first] game, that was the difference in the series,” shortstop Paul DeJong said of a 7-6 walk-off victory for the Guardians. “Today they had control; yesterday [8-2 Sox win] we had control. They made some good plays. Their baserunning on me in particular was a huge factor — that ball Naylor got in the way on [on DeJong’s errant throw to third in the first game], then that run with Ramirez today [on DeJong’s return throw to first on an attempted double play]. Good, aggressive plays by them, and that was the difference.”

The Sox came up short on several attempted double plays in the series.

“Just little things, little details,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “The game [Thursday] came [down] to a few decisions that we opted in another direction that cost us. And against that team right there, you can’t.”

Sosa’s hot streak

With an RBI single and a solo home run, third baseman Lenyn Sosa became the first Sox player since Jose Abreu in 2022 to have five consecutive multihit games. Sosa is 11-for-22 with two homers and three doubles in that stretch.

He beamed upon hearing that he joined Abreu in that company.

“Trying to hit the ball through the middle and keep my approach simple,” Sosa said.

Clevinger is getting closer

Mike Clevinger will throw 50-55 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday and could join the Sox next week. When he returns, Grifol said Clevinger might piggyback another starter or make a start himself but on a limited pitch count.

“He’s obviously not going to grab the ball and take it to the seventh inning,” Grifol said.

Clevinger was on an assignment after going on the injured list with elbow inflammation May 28, then paused the assignment June 27 because of inflammation in his upper back and neck.

He signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Sox on April 4 and has a 6.75 ERA in four starts and 16 innings.

“Missing spring training is just not in the cards for anybody,” Clevinger said. “Highly necessary, as much as we like to say it’s too long. Six weeks is the right amount of time.”

This and that

Outfielder Dominic Fletcher’s rehab assignment (left shoulder) was transferred from Arizona to Charlotte.

† Catcher Edgar Quero and shortstop Brooks Baldwin were promoted from Double-A Birmingham to Charlotte.