The Sox are swept in back-to-back series

Keep your head up, kid: Losing seven straight coming out of the All-Star break calls for frustration, but there’s a game tomorrow — focus. | Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

A five-run Kansas City third doomed Chicago in a 6-5 loss

The last seven games have been a nightmare for Chicago White Sox fans, but they have been an utter dream for the Kansas City Royals. The Sox are swept in back-to-back series, but they hope to sweep one of their own in St. Pete against the Tampa Bay Rays. Hopefully, this is the last loss that we have to analyze for the forseeable future.

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Leury García and Yoán Moncada started the game with back-to-back infield singles. A passed ball later, José Abreu had ducks on the pound and nobody out! He ripped a single —later changed to an E-3 — to right field to give the Sox a very early 1-0 lead!

A.J. Reed followed with a walk to load the bases, still nobody out! Welington Castillo grounded into a double play, but YoYo crossed the plate to put the South Siders up 2-0 in the first!

Ross Detwiler had a taxing 27-pitch first inning, but he escaped the bases loaded jam without a run crossing the plate!

Following a Yolmer Sánchez leadoff single to start the second, Rick Renteria was abruptly ejected while yelling from the dugout.

After that madness, the teams sizzled down in the second.

However, YoYo added his own “Stick Talk” power in the third with a solo home run to left field. Oppo power!

On the other side of the coin, Cheslor Cuthbert added a solo shot to left-center to put his team on the board in the third. Jorge Soler followed with a two-run shot that hugged the right field line to tie the game at three.

One out into the third, Dylan Covey came into the game to replace Detwiler. The first pitch Covey threw hit Cam Gallagher to load the bases. Billy Hamilton tacked on a two-run single to give the Royals their first lead of the game, 5-3.

Ryan Cordell and García reached base to start the fifth, but they were followed by three consecutive outs.

The Royals decided to add onto their lead during the bottom-half of the fifth. A safety squeeze by Gallagher scored Bubba Starling, 6-3 Royals.

Cordell provided a lovely two-out, RBI-single in the sixth! The Sox still trailed 6-4.

The bats went quiet until the ninth. Cordell walked, and Moncada singled. Abreu drove in Cordell on a single to left. Down one run, Reed struck out on three straight strikes.

The White Sox are 0-7 out of the All-Star break as they drop their second straight series to the dubious sweep.

The South Siders will make their way to Tampa Bay for a three-game series to cap off their ten-game roadtrip. Reynaldo López (4-8, 5.97 ERA) is set to face a TBD. NBC Sports Chicago will have the broadcast for the 6:10 CT start, and WGN-AM has the radio. The fiery Ali has your SSS coverage. As for me, I’ll be packing my sunglasses for Tampa Bay!