White Sox lose to Orioles 6-4 in 10 innings
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The Chicago White Sox wiped out a four-run deficit — and lost anyway.
Jason Frasor blamed himself. Manager Ozzie Guillen pointed the finger at Baltimore's J.J. Hardy.
Nolan Reimold hit a two-run off Frasor in the 10th inning, and the Baltimore Orioles ended Chicago's five-game winning streak with a 6-4 victory Wednesday night.
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Acquired in a trade with Toronto on July 27, Frasor (2-2) gave up a one-out single to Chris Davis in the 10th before Reimold sent the next pitch over the center-field wall.
"Slider. I don't think it did too much," the right-hander said. "You know, I think he knew it was coming. He crushed it. Yeah, frustrating."
Told that Reimold was in a 4-for-37 funk before the homer, Frasor said, "He's got a bat in his hand — and he's got some pop. He got it. What can I say?"
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J.J. Hardy went 4 for 5 with a homer for the Orioles, who led 4-0 after five innings before the White Sox rallied. Hardy is 7 for 14 with two home runs in the series.
"What's the guy's name — J.J. Ruth? J.J. Ruth hit a home run. This guy swings the bat pretty well lately," Guillen said. "J.J. Ruth. I go to see his museum tomorrow."
Mike Gonzalez (2-2) worked the 10th for the Orioles, who also got a home run from Adam Jones.
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The loss ended Chicago's seven-game road winning streak, kept the White Sox four games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central and ruined Chicago's bid to reach .500 for the first time since July 29. Hardy is 7 for 14 with two homers in the first three games of the four-game series.
Making his second start for Baltimore since coming over in a July 30 trade with the Texas Rangers, Tommy Hunter took a 4-1 lead into the seventh. He got two outs before No. 9 hitter Brent Morel doubled in a run, putting runners at second and third.
Right-hander Jason Berken came in to face left-handed hitter Juan Pierre, who grounded the first pitch inside the third-base line for a two-run single, tying the score at 4.
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Hunter gave up four runs and seven hits. In his two starts with the Orioles, he has not yielded a walk in 10 2-3 innings.
White Sox starter Philip Humber allowed four runs and 11 hits in six innings. He was 0-4 with a 7.97 ERA in his prior four starts.
After previously being outscored 82-35 in the first inning this season, Baltimore took a 1-0 lead before making two outs. Hardy hit his 21st home run, and Nick Markakis and Jones both singled before Humber retired Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds.
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The Orioles reversed another trend in their next crack at Humber. Held hitless in the second inning of its last 11 games, Baltimore used four singles and a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. Robert Andino singled in a run and scored on a bases-loaded fly ball by Markakis.
The White Sox didn't get a runner in scoring position until Alex Rios led off the fifth with a double. He did not advance.
Jones led off the bottom half with his 21st home run, increasing his team-high RBI total to 71. Chicago closed to 4-1 in the sixth. Pierre hit a bloop to left that a charging Felix Pie gloved with a dive, but the ball squirted free for a double. Pierre advanced on a fly ball and scored on a groundout by Konerko.
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NOTES: Chicago's Adam Dunn struck out three times, the 19th time this season he's had three Ks or more in a game. ... Orioles DH Vladimir Guerrero got the night off after a 1-for-18 skid dropped his batting average to .274. "I can tell in the dugout he's been a little frustrated lately because he's trying so hard," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of the 36-year-old slugger. ... LHP Mark Buehrle (9-5) starts for the White Sox on Thursday night, hoping to extend a streak of 17 straight games in which he's permitted three runs or fewer. It's the longest such run by a White Sox starter in a single season since Dave Lemonds in 1972, according to information provided to the White Sox by the Elias Sports Bureau. Chris Tillman (3-4) is expected to start for the Orioles. ... Jones' first-inning single ended an 0-for-12 drought.