The Chicago White Sox stranded a runner at third in the sixth inning.
They loaded the bases in the seventh but did not score. And a one-out walk in the eighth went nowhere.
The Sox had the tying or go-ahead run at the plate in those three innings. Each time, they came up empty in a 3-1 loss to the Athletics on Wednesday night in front of 10,411 at Rate Field.
“These opportunities with runners in scoring position, we have to cash in there,” manager Will Venable said.
The Sox (4-13) went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position while losing for the 11th time in the last 13 games.
Another offensive option is on the way to Chicago. Venable confirmed that prospect Edgar Quero will be joining the team Thursday from Triple-A Charlotte.
“Obviously quality at-bats from both sides of the plate, just a lot of confidence,” Venable said of Quero. “Just feel like he’s a guy who believes that he’s ready and looks like he’s ready. Obviously we all think that he is.”
The catcher, whom MLB.com rates as the No. 6 prospect in the Sox system and No. 62 in baseball, is slashing .333/.444/.412 with one home run and four RBIs in 15 games with the Knights.
He combined for 16 home runs and 70 RBIs between Double-A Birmingham and Charlotte last season.
Quero, 22, came to the Sox as part of the trade that sent Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels on July 26, 2023.
He’ll join a team looking to avoid a three-game sweep. The Sox dropped their second straight in the series Wednesday despite a nice bounce-back outing from starter Jonathan Cannon.
The right-hander allowed three hits, struck out four and walked two in 4 1/3 scoreless innings. He exited after 88 pitches. He dealt with traffic in three of his four innings.
“Me and (catcher Omar) Narváez were just on the same page, kind of the whole time,” Cannon said. “I thought we did a really good job of pitching in and out of traffic. It was just good to throw up some zeros there, see some zeros on the board. Just kind of get back on track.
“Obviously I would have liked to go deeper in the game. But I’ll take the zeros.”
Cannon allowed a season-high six runs in 5 1/3 innings during his last start April 10 in Cleveland. He found different ways to keep the A’s off the board, particularly in an impressive fourth inning.
The Sox held a 1-0 lead, but the Athletics were threatening with JJ Bleday on third and no outs.
Miguel Andujar hit a grounder right at drawn-in second baseman Lenyn Sosa, who looked the runner back at third and made the throw to first for the first out.
Cannon struck out Luis Urías looking to end a seven-pitch battle for the second out. Gio Urshela then grounded one back to the mound. Cannon fielded the ball cleanly and made an underhand toss to first to end the threat.
“The last couple of weeks, I’ve put a little too much pressure on myself, guys in scoring position, end up running the pitch count up really quick,” Cannon said. “The goal there was just to get some type of weak contact or swing and miss, or go for the swing and miss once we get two strikes. I was able to get that soft groundball right away and then a really good strikeout there. And just kind of taking it one pitch at a time.”
The Sox carried the 1-0 lead, which came via a Brooks Baldwin home run in the third inning, into the sixth.
The A’s came through with the timely hitting in that inning. With one out, Bleday tied the score with an RBI single against reliever Tyler Gilbert. And with two outs, Urshela put the A’s ahead with a two-run triple against Jordan Leasure.
Trailing 3-1, the Sox attempted a rally by loading the bases with two outs in the seventh. Luis Robert Jr. grounded out to first to end the inning.
Matt Thaiss walked with one out in the eighth, but Chase Meidroth popped out to second and Athletics center fielder Bleday tracked down a long fly from Baldwin.
“I thought the second one had a good chance (of being another home run),” Baldwin said, “probably on a little warmer night it might go out.”
But not Wednesday at Rate Field. The Sox look to end what began as a promising homestand on a positive note Thursday with a new addition in Quero.
“He’s a great guy,” Baldwin said. “I spent a lot of time with him last year (in the minors). Great guy, great hitter, great behind the plate. He’s excelled the last couple years getting better at receiving balls and that’s awesome for him.”
