A frustrating night for the White Sox offense got even more so for lead-off hitter Adam Eaton – even after everything in a 4-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals was over and done with.
Eaton was ejected by home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt after Eaton was called out on strikes on what he thought was a questionable pitch by Royals closer Wade Davis.
“It’s tough when you strike out and you only saw one strike and you didn’t take the bat off your shoulder, it’s pretty tough to hit like that,” Eaton said. “I think most guys didn’t like the inconsistency all night. Like I said, it’s tough.
I think I know the zone pretty well. The at-bat before that, the first pitch I didn’t really like, and he told me to go look at it. So I went down and looked at it, and at the end of the game, I told (Wendelstedt) I looked at it, and it wasn’t a strike, either.”
Eaton’s ejection – the second of his career with the first coming in 2014 against the Minnesota Twins – won’t impact him playing on Saturday.
The Sox managed only five hits off of Royals pitching in the loss – their fifth in the last six games. Sox hitters struck out 10 times (including eight times looking), including Eaton’s to end the game. Asked about Wendelstedt’s strike zone after the loss, manager Robin Ventura said he thought it was “probably a little wide.”
Eaton, who went 1-for-5 and factored into the first three Sox hitters going a combined 1-for-12, agreed.
“Like I said, the inconsistencies are tough to deal with as a hitter,” Eaton said. “Hitting is hard enough as it is, and when you have those inconsistencies, it makes it even more hard – especially Wade Davis throwing 95-plus.
“I think (Wendelstedt) heard my displeasures. But new day tomorrow. Those guys have got a job to do and we do, too, so we’ll get back at it.”
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