Back to back to back.
Already three runs in the hole, rookie starter Drew Thorpe (3-2) allowed three consecutive homers in the first inning Friday night, quickly putting the game out of reach for the White Sox in an eventual 10-0 loss to the Mariners that extended their losing streak to 12 and dropped them to 52 games below .500.
Despite the Mariners entering with the third-fewest runs in the majors (381) and the lowest batting average (.216), the game was essentially over before the Sox’ first at-bat.
Add this to the list of their most crushing losses this season as they continue to push how low they can go. Before manager Pedro Grifol replaced him with Jared Shuster after two-thirds of an inning, Thorpe had allowed eight runs — including five on the homers by Josh Rojas, Dylan Moore and Victor Robles — and six hits.
“You can’t let it snowball like that,” Thorpe said. “One or two or three or four [runs] is fine. [I’ve] just got to be able to get out of the first inning and try and give some length to save the bullpen. It’s frustrating.”
If the rest of the Sox’ season is going to be devoted to player development, Thorpe’s shelling was an example of the type of performance that’s possible as young players go through growing pains.
“Bad games are going to happen,” Thorpe said. “It’s probably not going to be the last one of my career.”
The Sox (27-79) are now the seventh team in major-league history to lose 79 or more times in the first 106 games of a season and the first since the 1962 Mets, who have the record for most losses in a season in MLB history with 120.
“Everyone here wants to win, and we’re trying to win,” Thorpe said. “It just hasn’t come on our side yet.”
All of the runs against Thorpe came with two outs. Before the pounding, he was the first Sox rookie since Carlos Rodon with five consecutive quality starts.
Powerless at the plate
Entering Friday, the Sox had the second-fewest runs since the All-Star break. Over their 12-game losing streak, they have scored just 20 runs.
The loss was their 13th of the season in which they failed to score at all. Outside of right fielder Tommy Pham’s three hits, only four other Sox hitters had a hit against the combination of Mariners starter George Kirby (8-7) and two relievers.
“Tommy Pham was really impressive,” Grifol said. [First baseman Andrew Vaughn] had some good at-bats. Other than that, that was it.”
Better luck for Baldwin
Second baseman Brooks Baldwin got his first extra-base hit, a double in the fifth. Drafted in the 12th round in 2022, he has struggled since being called up, with just two hits in 23 plate appearances before Friday.