White Sox hotshot Michael Kopech serves up a granny in bad-to-worse appearance

MESA, Ariz. — Notes from the White Sox’ 14-0 loss Sunday to the Athletics:

That wasn’t very fun

The Sox were hoping to stretch out Michael Kopech before he starts the season opener for Class AAA Charlotte, but some outings just don’t go as planned. Instead, the big right-hander caught the business end of a from-bad-to-worse one-third of an inning.

After Kopech came on to start the fifth, leadoff hitter Bruce Maxwell reached on an easy ground ball that went right through the legs of second baseman Leury Garcia. After a walk to Sheldon Neuse, Kopech gave up a softly hit single to Boog Powell. All that before Matt Joyce’s grand slam, his second home run of the game.

Kopech allowed two more walks and a double in the inning before his work was done. The total damage: seven runs (four earned), three hits, three walks and the granny in one-third of an inning. That’ll leave a mark.

Heads up

A’s shortstop Marcus Semien, formerly of the Sox, sent starter James Shields sprawling with a line drive up the middle in the first. Shields landed a bit awkwardly on his non-pitching arm and shook it around a few times after he rose.

“It was kind of right next to my head,” Shields said.

Not worth the wait

It took until the eighth for a Sox pitcher to throw a clean inning. Minor-league extra Ben Wright did the honors.

On deck

Sox at Diamondbacks, Scottsdale, Carson Fulmer vs. Albert Suarez, 3:10 p.m. Monday, NBCSCH.

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Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com