White Sox manager Pedro Grifol didn’t need a lot of time to get his message across after the team’s 4-1 loss Sunday to the Orioles at Guaranteed Rate Field.
‘‘I don’t have much,’’ Grifol said. ‘‘[Sox left-hander Garrett] Crochet pitched his [butt] off. We got no-hit through [seven innings]. We had a pinch hitter break it up. The rest of the guys — not the rest of the guys, [but] most of the guys — were [expletive] flat today. Unacceptable. That’s all I’ve got.’’
It didn’t seem as though that opinion was unanimous.
Catcher Korey Lee, who went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, pushed back when asked about Grifol’s comments. Lee had just caught another strong start by Crochet but was one of many Sox hitters to struggle against Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish.
‘‘I’m going to let [Grifol] comment on his statement,’’ Lee said. ‘‘He’s going to feel that way, and obviously we’re going to have a different feeling. He is entitled to his own opinion, and we are also. I think that’s a valid reason. It’s nothing to hide about that, but he has his opinions and everyone is going to have their opinions.’’
Bradish threw seven hitless innings and struck out 11, and the Sox hardly threatened him. Pinch hitter Danny Mendick greeted reliever Danny Coulombe with a solo home run to start the eighth, ending the Sox’ flirtation with getting no-hit for the first time since Francisco Liriano did it May 3, 2011.
It was the Sox’ only hit.
‘‘No adjustments,’’ Grifol said of the Sox’ approach. ‘‘We didn’t make any adjustments to [Bradish].’’
Perhaps it’s understandable that Grifol felt the way he did. The Sox suffered their third four-game sweep of the season and have dropped five games in a row and nine of their last 10 to sink 24 games below .500. They’ve been swept in eight series overall.
At 15-39, the Sox have the worst 54-game record in franchise history, two games worse than their 17-37 start in 2018. They are on pace to go 45-117, which would be among the most miserable seasons in MLB history.
‘‘Flat, period,’’ Grifol said. ‘‘Major-league game. Gotta respect it. Pretty simple.’’
Mendick said he wasn’t sure the Sox being flat was the problem.
‘‘Everything in here between the guys is great,’’ Mendick said. ‘‘[The Orioles] threw some good arms at us, and sometimes it doesn’t go our way. Struggles happen, and I think we’re just going to have to keep grinding, keep a positive mindset and then go out there and give it our all [and] see what happens.’’
At least good things have been happening for Crochet. His streak of scoreless innings ended at 24, but he still matched a career high with 11 strikeouts in six strong innings.
Crochet retired the first 11 batters he faced before yielding a two-out double to Ryan Mountcastle down the first-base line in the fourth. He kept his scoreless streak alive until Adley Rutschman hit a two-run homer in the sixth.
The two runs were the first Crochet had surrendered since May 5 against the Cardinals.
‘‘When you’re battling against a guy like they had on the mound, you know there aren’t going to be very many opportunities for the offense,’’ Crochet said. ‘‘He was top five in the Cy Young [voting] last year and showcased that stuff today. Just trying to keep it as close as possible, so the homer definitely stings.’’
That wasn’t the only thing that stung. Grifol batted away questions about how to avoid more flat efforts.
‘‘We’ve got to come back [Monday against the Blue Jays] ready to play,’’ Grifol said.
