DETROIT — Chicago White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon worked in and out of trouble while throwing 77 pitches through three innings Friday against the Detroit Tigers.
The right-hander knows that’s not a formula for lasting deep into games.
“Bottom line — got to be more efficient, got to be better, got to throw more strikes,” Cannon said.
Efficiency will be a key moving forward for Cannon, who allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings during a 7-4 loss to the Tigers in front of 44,735 at Comerica Park.
“I think it’s partially chasing the strikeout maybe a little too much,” Cannon said. “Get ahead early 0-1, 0-2, go for the strikeout, you throw two uncompetitive pitches and now you’re in a battle. Allowing them back into counts, they’re fouling some balls off.
“That’s kind of what I was missing today. I wasn’t getting those first, second pitch outs and I felt like I was deep into the count with almost everyone. Just trying to get them out early and make better pitches. Just got to execute better.”
Cannon surrendered three hits, walked three batters and struck out three in his 88-pitch outing.
“Felt good, body felt good, just way too many free passes,” Cannon said. “I think that goes off the last start (March 29 against the Los Angeles Angels) as well. Obviously didn’t let anyone score (against the Angels) but keep letting guys on, eventually they’re going to come around and score. Just got to continue harping on getting ahead.
“I thought I actually did a pretty good job on getting ahead today. Felt like I was in a lot of two-strike counts. I just threw some uncompetitive pitches to let them back into counts and it forced me to make pitches. I just shouldn’t let them back in the count like that. I should make some better pitches.”
The Tigers hit three home runs — one each against Cannon and relievers Brandon Eisert and Bryse Wilson — in their home opener, dealing the Sox (2-5) their third straight loss.
Cannon gave up a solo home run to Kerry Carpenter to right field in the first. Carpenter waited a moment between first and second base as umpires discussed whether it was a fair or foul ball before getting the OK to conclude his trot.
The next two batters reached via a single and a walk, but Cannon induced two flyouts to avoid allowing any more runs.
Cannon hit a batter and walked another during a scoreless second.
He wasn’t as fortunate after hitting Spencer Torkelson and walking Colt Keith with one out in the third. Zach McKinstry drove in Torkelson with a single to right to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Keith scored when Dillon Dingler grounded out to third on an 0-2 count during a seven-pitch at-bat.
Cannon retired the first two batters in the fourth, exiting after striking out Justyn-Henry Malloy in a sequence that went from 0-2 to a full count.
“He did a nice job getting ahead and just wasn’t able to put guys away and the pitch count got up on him,” manager Will Venable said. “Did a nice job dealing with some traffic there, but just not as sharp as we’re used to seeing from him.”
Carpenter greeted Eisert with his second home run of the game, this time to left. Torkelson added an RBI single later in the fourth.
Riley Greene hit a 417-foot home run to right against Wilson in the sixth, extending the Tigers’ lead to 7-1.
The Sox scored three in the ninth before Will Vest struck out Luis Robert Jr. to end the game.
The Sox scored eight runs on opening day and nine runs Monday against the Minnesota Twins. They’ve scored a combined 10 runs the other five games.
“It’s still early for this season,” said third baseman Miguel Vargas, who went 1-for-5 with an RBI. “Obviously we are facing really good pitchers. We have had a couple of good games offensively. We just need to be consistent with that.”
Tigers starter Jack Flaherty allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.
“We weren’t able to get anything going really off of Flaherty,” Venable said. “But really happy with the way the guys continued to battle there and we got a leverage arm (Vest) in the game, which is huge. And that can pay off later on in the series.”
And Venable is confident Cannon will make the proper adjustments.
“He pitches to contact and guys are just really grinding and fouling a lot of balls off,” Venable said. “I don’t know if there’s anything that he could do differently other than end at-bats more quickly and that’s what we’re used to seeing from him. I have no doubt that he’ll get back on track and have a good one the next time around.”
