Detroit – You really hope manager AJ Hinch, who attended his youngest daughter’s high school graduation in Houston Friday, didn’t peek at his phone to check the score. It might’ve ruined his night.
The Chicago White Sox put up three runs in the first inning and never stopped scoring, beating the Tigers 12-3 at Comerica Park.
Hinch will be back Saturday and he will once again have to make a decision about Joey Wentz. Hinch has been steadfast in his support of the left-hander, but Wentz endured his third straight short and rough start Friday, putting the Tigers in a fast 3-0 hole in the first and allowing five over his four innings.
“I think I sucked, honestly,” said Wentz, who has allowed 21 runs and 34 hits in 20.1 innings. “I’ve been pretty bad recently…I view it as all pretty bad. I’ve had some good starts this year and I’ve had more bad ones. I need to go out there and do better.”
Hinch and pitching coach Chris Fetter have given Wentz a lot of rope, expecting the adjustments he’s making between starts to start paying off. The results haven’t followed and now they’ll have to consider whether allowing him to work through this at the big-league level is beneficial or detrimental to his psyche.
“I feel like I’m working diligently to get better but I’m not getting results right now,” Wentz said. “Up here it’s about getting results. Certainly it’s a man’s league and I can’t sit around felling sorry for myself. I have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.”
BOX SCORE: White Sox 12, Tigers 3
The options to replace Wentz in the rotation remain limited with three starters on the injured list. Right-hander Reese Olson, who is on the 40-man roster, could be a possibility. He pitched another gem at Triple-A Toledo Friday, striking out 10 in five innings. Over his last three starts he’s allowed two runs in 14.1 innings with 22 strikeouts and six walks.
Wentz wasn’t the only Tigers’ pitcher the White Sox feasted on. They jumped Mason Englert for three runs in the fifth. They got three against Tyler Alexander in the eighth and they nicked utility man Zack Short and his 45-mph floaters for a run in the ninth.
“Not quite how we drew it up,” said acting manager and Tigers’ bench coach George Lombard.
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There had been two triples hit at Comerica Park all season. The White Sox hit three Friday – Andrew Benintendi, Clint Frazier and Yoan Moncada all found triples alley in right-center. Moncada had three hits with three RBI. Tim Anderson had four hits and scored three times. Benintendi had three hits.
Andrew Vaughn doubled, homered and knocked in three.
“It was unfortunate,” said left fielder Akil Baddoo, whose long running catch in the gap against Yasmani Grandal was one of the few highlights for the Tigers. “But we’ll come back ready tomorrow and try to win the series.”
The Tigers’ best chance to fight their way back into this game came in the first. It was almost like the White Sox were trying to hold the door open for them.
It was a curious inning for third baseman Moncada.
With runners at second and third and no outs, Moncada fielded a ground ball by Javier Báez behind the bag. With a three-run lead, he tried to tag Zach McKinstry who had taken two steps off the bag and scrambled back safely. Instead of one out and a run in, the bases were loaded with no outs.
Chicago starter Lance Lynn struck out Spencer Torkleson and got Nick Maton to line out to first. Báez somehow eluded the tag by first baseman Vaughn, otherwise the inning would’ve ended there.
Baddoo worked the count full and then tapped a ground ball wide of third base. On a 3-2 count and two outs, the runners were moving on the pitch, which Moncada either forgot or disregarded. Because after fielding the ground ball, he looked to throw to second. He had no play there; none on Baddoo, either.
Baddoo was credited with an RBI single.
“Really would’ve like to scratch off a couple of more runs there,” Lombard said. “It was nice to have a bounce back there. The guys fought back. Tough call on Miggy there to end the inning.”
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Cabrera thought he’d drawn a bases loaded walk − which he did in the sixth inning − but home plate umpire Alan Porter gave the borderline call to Lynn.
The Tigers managed just three hits in the game, though they did draw seven walks. They were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Leadoff hitter McKinstry walked three times and was on base four times. He’s been on base 17 times in the last six games.
Best just to flush this one and forget it.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky