White Sox swept out of Cleveland

CLEVELAND – The beat, and the beatings, go on for the White Sox. In walk-off or blowout fashion, they find different ways to lose almost every day.

One day the starting pitcher gets pummeled. The next day the starter is good, but a defensive play that needs to be made isn’t for the closer in the 10^th. Another day a relief pitcher shakes off his catcher and serves up a walk-off home run pitch.

All of the above transpired in a crushing series sweep delivered by the AL Central leading Cleveland Indians, who completed it Sunday with a 3-2 win in the 10^th inning on Jose Ramirez’s bases loaded single past first baseman Jose Abreu.

With two outs — after Friday walk-off hero Carlos Santana fouled out — closer David Robertson (0-1, 3.95 ERA) got Ramirez to hit what looked like an inning ending two-hopper. But Abreu, on a ball hit slightly to his right, leaned back and reached up as the ball skipped through to end the game.

“It just looked like it took a big hop,’’ said manager Robin Ventura, who had pulled out all the stops by ordering two intentional walks and using five infielders for Santana. “But he’s either got to come smother it or try and knock it down. Just a play that you’ve either got to come get it or you’ve got to back up and try and get a good hop, and it ate him up.’’

Abreu, speaking through translator Billy Russo, said the second hop went farther than he expected, “and my only alternative was to try to lunge back. It was a very tough play.”

“If I could have blocked the ball, I would do it. I didn’t have any chance to do it.’’

Of course, a clean play only would have extended the game to the 11^th inning, and the way the Sox aren’t hitting (23 runs in the last nine road games), it may have simply delayed the inevitable.

The Sox had six hits, and only three after Abreu’s RBI double scored Tim Anderson in the first and Melky Cabrera’s home run in the fourth against Carlos Carrasco. Abreu left runners in scoring position twice and struck out against Dan Otero (2-0, 0.98 ERA) to end the 10^th with Adam Eaton (2-for-5) on first.

“It’s tough but we have to find a way to score more runs, because we are wasting some very good games,’’ Abreu said.

The Sox got their second good start of the series, this one by left-hander Carlos Rodon, who allowed two runs and struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings. Left fielder Melky Cabrera threw out Francisco Lindor at third and second baseman Brett Lawrie made diving stops in the eighth and ninth innings, the latter preventing Michael Martinez from enjoying a walkoff single.

“We come out every day and give it all we got,’’ Rodon said. “Brett’s out there making diving plays, saving the game. It’s just not going our way right now. Hope we can get out of this funk.’’

The “funk” is this: Eighteen losses in 25 games, 26 of 36 and six in a row against the Indians, whose lead over the Sox climbed to 5 ½ games. The Sox are 3-11-1 in the last 15 series, 3-14 in the last 17 road games with no road wins this season against the AL Central’s Indians, Royals or Tigers.

While it has become increasingly evident the Sox’ problems are roster-related, the Sox’ performance may leave the front office with no choice but to consider a managerial change, especially if they get buried in the upcoming four-game trip in Boston. Ventura is in the final year of his contract.

“You realize you can go through tough stretches and excruciating stretches,’’ Ventura said. “But if you get hot, you can get right back in it. ‘’

“For me it’s about these guys and being able to come in here and get something out of it that day.

“Personally, it’s tough. Absolutely. I’m the one coming in here and we’re trying to find something positive and that’s what you do. It doesn’t do any good to come in here and mope around.’’