The White Sox bullpen was stirring 15 minutes after Carlos Rodon’s first pitch Monday at US Cellular Field. Only 25 minutes into the game, Jake Petricka relieved Rodon, who was booed off the field after recording one out against the Angels.
In the shortest non-injury-related outing by a Sox starting pitcher since 2003, Rodon allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks in a 7-0 loss.
Neal Cotts was the last Sox starter to pitch only one-third of an inning, Aug. 28, 2003, against the Yankees.
Rodon had been strong in his first two starts, allowing two earned runs in 13 innings against the A’s and Twins.
But he had trouble finding the strike zone early and loaded the bases with a single and two walks with one out. The Angels then strung together five straight singles to pull ahead 5-0.
After the Angels got through the order, Petricka entered and got Yunel Escobar to hit into a double play.
For the most part, pitching was the Sox’s strong suit over the first two weeks, and the bigger concern entering a seven-game homestand was an offense that hadn’t scored more than four runs in its previous six games.
“No team ever hits on all cylinders all the time,” outfielder Adam Eaton said. “It’s just not realistic, especially all the way through the year. A good team is exactly that -- when you don’t hit it, you pitch it and play good defense. And when you don’t pitch it, you hit it. For us to have a road trip like we did and not hit it all that well, it shows the strength of this team.”
Neither the pitching nor the hitting was worthy of celebrating on the 25th anniversary of the first game at U.S. Cellular Field.
Sox hitters looked stunned into submission at the early deficit, which climbed to 6-0 after a third-inning run off Petricka. Former Sox left-hander Hector Santiago gave up two hits and three walks and struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings.
“Just one of those stretches,” third baseman Todd Frazier said before the game. “We’d rather have it earlier than later in the year. Everybody is upbeat. I’m upbeat. First 50 at-bats, you can just wash them out the door.”
The defense, solid over the first two weeks, didn’t help Rodon either.
After Kole Calhoun singled to drive in the first run, first baseman Jose Abreu made a bad flip to try to catch Calhoun off first. His throw sailed by Brett Lawrie, and another run scored.
Sox entered Monday ranked fourth with nine defensive runs saved, and manager Robin Ventura said some of the veteran newcomers were responsible for the improvement, as Frazier showed with some big plays at third Monday.
“They’ve been around a little bit,” Ventura said. “They get a feel for something, maybe they’ve played against somebody, and they can take a step that we don’t necessarily see from the dugout. Now to see what happens next.