Headlines of June 30, 2013 “White Sox miss opportunities in loss to Tribe” … Scott Merkin, WhiteSox.com “Konerko not thinking about trade talk” … Scott Merkin, WhiteSox.com “Wells enjoys pitching debut” … Scott Merkin, WhiteSox.com “Viciedo fighting through tough stretch” … Scott Merkin, WhiteSox.com “White Sox recall Castro from Triple-A” … Scott Merkin, WhiteSox.com “Third to first” … Scott Merkin, WhiteSox.com “Sale looks to end series with Tribe on a high note” … Mark Emery, MLB.com “Viciedo rewards Ventura for patience” … Mark Gonzalez, ChicagoTribune.com “Kipnis thorn in Sox’s side” … Phil Rogers, ChicagoTribune.com “Konerko’s back better, hope to avoid DL” … Phil Rogers, ChicagoTribune.com “Indians score go-ahead run in eighth to top Sox, end Jesse Crain’s streak” … Toni Ginnetti, SunTimes.com “Paul Konerko says he’s not thinking about being traded” … Toni Ginnetti, SunTimes.com “It may be time for Hahn, White Sox to look ahead” … Scot Gregor, DailyHerald.com “Sox better, but still not good enough” … Doug Padilla, ESPNChicago.com “Viciedo gets message loud and clear” … Doug Padilla, ESPNChicago.com “Rapid Reaction: Indians 4, White Sox 3” … Doug Padilla, ESPNChicago.com “Konerko ponders trade possibilities” … Doug Padilla, ESPNChicago.com “Viciedo back in lineup after blunder” … Bruce Levine, ESPNChicago.com “White Sox give Castro a chance” … Doug Padilla, ESPNChicago.com “Crain’s streak ends, White Sox fall to Indians” … JJ Stankevitz, CSNChicago.com “White Sox notes: On the bright side…” … JJ Stankevitz, CSNChicago.com “Bracing for trade speculation, Konerko unlikely to hit DL” … JJ Stankevitz, CSNChicago.com “Indians beat White Sox for third time in less than 24 hours” … AP, ESPN.com “Indians-White Sox Preview” … Jon Palmieri/STATS INC., via Yahoo.com

White Sox miss opportunities in loss to Tribe

Scott Merkin / WhiteSox.com

CHICAGO -- There's good luck. There's bad luck. And then there's the 2013 White Sox luck, bordering on utterly dreadful in the month of June.

During a 4-3 loss to the Indians on Saturday afternoon before 26,289 at U.S. Cellular Field, Jesse Crain had his streak of 31 straight games and 31 straight innings without allowing an earned run snapped by a one-out single up the middle.

Of course, that rare run scored off the White Sox All-Star caliber reliever came in the eighth inning and broke a 3-3 deadlock. It sent the White Sox to their fourth straight loss, a 4-12 record over their last 16 games and a season- worst 14 games under .500 at 32-46.

Good teams make their own breaks, as the age-old sports adage goes. Through almost half of this current campaign, the White Sox have not been a good team. "All year, it's been frustrating," said White Sox starter Dylan Axelrod, who picked up a no-decision with his six innings of work. "We've lost a lot of close games. It's been real close to being, who knows, we could be the other way around if the little breaks were going our way."

"They get to a guy [like Crain] ... [who] hasn't given up a lot," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura of the Indians. "That's something that's impressive."

Not giving up a lot is an understatement when talking about Crain (2-3), who exited with a 0.74 ERA after one inning of relief. Crain allowed a run at home for the first time since Aug. 21, 2012, against the Yankees.

None of the singles by Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis or Swisher were hit especially hard. In fact, the best contact of the inning came on Michael Brantley's line drive headed for the right-center gap, which Gordon Beckham turned into an inning-ending double play through his leaping catch and flip to shortstop Alexei Ramirez.

Those hits were enough to drop the White Sox to 0-6 against the Indians (43-38) this season when the bullpen records the decision and 2-0 when a starter factors into the decision.

"[An] 0-2 breaking ball off a guy like Crain, who I think has got like [an] 0.40 ERA, right now," Swisher said. "I'm happy with a big knock, kind of a jam-job base hit. To be able to string three hits back-to-back-to-back like that was crucial for us."

"You know, that was kind of a tough inning," White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers said. "It would be one thing if they were barreling up balls and giving up a run that way. That's just how it goes sometimes."

A rare blip from Crain produced the go-ahead run. But it was the White Sox lack of clutch hitting against Cleveland starter Ubaldo Jimenez that made this late rally possible. They worked Jimenez's pitch count up to 112 over five innings, but could only manage three runs.

Flowers' double brought home Conor Gillaspie with the game's first run in the second. The White Sox added two more in the fifth on run-scoring singles by Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo.

Viciedo knocked out three hits and made two diving catches in left field, one day after being benched after the eighth inning of Friday's first of two losses when he didn't run hard all the way through an attempt to score on Jeff Keppinger's single to center. Friday became a learning experience for the White Sox left fielder, leading up to Saturday's moments of redemption.

"Errors do happen, but the mentality that you have to have -- and I have -- is that an error can happen, but you can't let it happen a second time," said Viciedo through translator and director of public relations Lou Hernandez. "I am younger, and I have to learn from those mistakes. You can't let them happen again."

"[Viciedo is] fine," said Ventura. "It's just one of those [games where], energy-wise, he was up and ready to go. I think swinging the bat, he was a lot better, too. There was just something that seemed a little calmer with him."

Jimenez struck out eight but walked four and gave up nine hits. The White Sox stranded two in the first, two in the second, two more in the third and left the bases loaded in the fifth when Flowers took a called third strike.

Axelrod gave up three runs on five hits over six innings and 111 pitches. He was in position for victory, even with those missed opportunities, until Kipnis launched a game-tying, two-run homer in the sixth. Kipnis has reached base 11 times in the first three games of this series, including two hits on Saturday, and his long ball marked the third straight game in which the White Sox have surrendered a lead against the Indians.

"It was really just one pitch where he got me," said Axelrod, who fanned three and walked three. "So I feel like, all in all, it was a step in the right direction for me, and I pitched pretty well." For the month of June, the White Sox have just three victories from their starting . Then again, they have just eight wins as a team during the month against 18 losses.

"Yeah, it's not as fun as winning. I know that," said Flowers, whose team has a 12-18 mark in one-run games. "We just have to keep grinding it out, and come to work every day ready to work hard and play hard. I think we are doing that. We are just not winning."

Konerko not thinking about trade talk

Scott Merkin / WhiteSox.com

CHICAGO -- With 15 years as a White Sox staple on his impressive resume, team captain Paul Konerko won't be traded anywhere over the next few weeks or months without his consent under 's 10-and-5 rule.

The high level of respect held by the organization for Konerko also factors into any possible move.

But the veteran leader, who has missed the past four games due to back pain, isn't giving much thought to that switch to a contender.

"I'm not going to get into that," said Konerko, when asked for his thoughts about consenting to a trade. "I'm just trying to get back on the field. I don't know many teams that are going to want a guy who can't play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things, that's off in the distance.

"My goal is to get this going here and try in the next three, four weeks until they have to make those decisions on everybody in here -- and let's see if we can get good and see what happens. I don't have any answers, right now."

Konerko swung the bat on Saturday, which is a far cry from being unable to even stand up straight at the beginning of this week. While manager Robin Ventura doesn't expect Konerko in the lineup this weekend against the Indians, he could see him back by Tuesday against the Orioles and avoiding the disabled list.

"There was no sharp pain or anything making me afraid to take a swing," Konerko said. "I was a little stiff and heavy, but obviously I hadn't picked up a bat since Sunday.

"You always feel a little awkward not touching a bat in five days. It wasn't a stellar performance or anything, but enough to where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. My hope is tomorrow I come in and it moves as much as it did from yesterday to today and go get 'em tomorrow. And if, for some reason, I can't go tomorrow, I can't see how I wouldn't be ready Tuesday -- especially with the off-day [on] Monday."

As for the team's season-long struggles leading to a plethora of moves by general manager Rick Hahn, Konerko believes those moves won't happen immediately -- and there might not be as many as people imagine. He also knows that the players will have a handle on what happens, regardless of the team's direction.

"This isn't life-ending or life-threatening situations," Konerko said. "You go out there and give it everything you got. But, at the end of the day, all you can do is your best.

"No one is happy in here. This is not part of the plan. There's no other way to say it." Wells enjoys pitching debut

CHICAGO -- When Casper Wells went down to the bullpen on Friday evening to warm up for his Major League pitching debut, bullpen coach Bobby Thigpen looked at him and asked, "What do you got?"

Thigpen was surprised when the started listing off his pitches. He was not surprised that Wells had those pitches, but more surprised that Wells was getting ready to throw and not just delivering a message to the bullpen.

"I didn't really have too much time to ... think about it," Wells said. "I tried to take it as seriously as I could. I didn't want to walk anyone. I wanted to go out there and be efficient, and just kind of throw strikes and really see what happens.

"I've had experience pitching in my lifetime. The last time I pitched off the mound was probably eight years ago, when I was at Towson University. But it was cool. It was fun. I tried to have fun with it and still stay competitive."

Wells posted an 8-5 collegiate record with a 5.61 ERA over 35 games during three years at Towson. He hit as high as 93 mph with his fastball according to MLB.com Gameday and struck out Asdrubal Cabrera as part of a scoreless ninth during Cleveland's 19-10 Game 1 victory.

That pitching outing was the first by a White Sox position player since Dewayne Wise threw a scoreless frame on Sept. 4, 2012, during an 18-9 loss to the Twins. Wells was also cognizant of not overthrowing and hitting someone in the process.

"There was one I tried throwing kind of hard and came up and in a little on Drew Stubbs. And I was like, 'That's the last thing I want to do is hit someone,'" Wells said. "It's nice that I had lefties, so I don't have to worry about yanking one.

"Just from my hitting experience, I know that a moving ball is harder to hit than something thrown straight. So, I just was throwing all two-seamers. Just trying to throw it [down the] middle and let the movement work. See what happens."

Dave Martinez, Steve Lyons, Mike Squires and Wayne Nordhagen are the other four position players to have pitched for the White Sox. According to Elias, Wells became the first player since Minnesota's Dan Gladden on May 7, 1989, to pitch in one game of a doubleheader and start the other game in the field.

Viciedo fighting through tough stretch

CHICAGO -- Dayan Viciedo is dealing with one of the worst stretches of his Major League career, made a little tougher in Game 1 of Friday's doubleheader when he slowed down around third with two outs in the eighth inning as he tried to score from second on Jeff Keppinger's single. Viciedo was thrown out, moving into more of a jog after he saw third-base coach Joe McEwing throw up a stop sign, and did not start the nightcap because of that miscue according to manager Robin Ventura.

But Viciedo was back in action for Saturday's contest.

"It's not [like] you're in the doghouse forever," Ventura said. "He knows. It's just one of those [plays where] you run hard. If it's in play, you run as hard as you can.

"There are very few times in the game, where not running hard [is fine] -- if you walk, I don't expect you to sprint down there. But other than that, if it's in play, you gotta give [McEwing] a chance to send you."

Viciedo has one homer and 11 RBIs since May 16, covering a span of 37 games. He also is hitting just .167 in his last 27 games heading into Saturday. Struggles such as these would make any young player a candidate to be sent to the Minors. But Ventura knows Viciedo's full capabilities and is banking on those eventually shining through.

"You see the potential for him to be able to make it through and be a very good player," Ventura said. "Right now, I don't necessarily see [Viciedo being optioned]. But any time you're dealing with what you're going through, it's there for pretty much anybody."

"There's so many of us going through a bad stretch right now, and that's what I think it is. It's a bad stretch," said Viciedo through translator and White Sox director of public relations Lou Hernandez. "You hate to call it luck, but we've worked hard. It's just been a really bad stretch."

Viciedo gained a measure of redemption on Saturday, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and making two diving catches.

White Sox recall Castro from Triple-A

CHICAGO -- It was 3:30 in the morning on Saturday when Simon Castro got the call that he was joining the White Sox.

And where was the big right-handed at the time?

"I was in bed," said Castro, drawing laughs from the media.

Castro was in bed in Louisville, where Triple-A Charlotte was playing. He is now replacing Brian Omogrosso as the White Sox long reliever. Omogrosso threw 2 1/3 innings during the Game 1 loss to Cleveland on Friday before being optioned to Charlotte.

Only eight of Castro's 142 career Minor League appearances have come in relief. But he's ready for whatever role the White Sox have in mind.

"The goal was to get here, and I'm right here," said Castro, who made four of his 16 appearances in relief for Charlotte this season. "So that's what matters to me, right now. I just want to do the best I can here ... and help this club."

Third to first

• The legendary Billy Pierce, 86, who won 186 games over 13 years with the White Sox, was honored for his career on the South Side prior to Saturday's game. Pierce threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches and the first 20,000 fans in attendance received a Billy Pierce statue. Pierce still works for the team as a community relations representative and ranks fourth all-time on the franchise win list.

• Alexei Ramirez is the only player in the Majors who has played every inning this season. Since the start of the 2009 season, Ramirez leads all Major League shortstops in games played (695) and innings played (6,139 2/3) after play on Saturday.

• Conor Gillaspie and his wife, Amanda, welcomed a son into the world this week. It's the first child for the two, with Gillaspie returning from the Paternity Leave List for Friday's doubleheader loss.

• White Sox pitchers allowed 28 runs in Friday's doubleheader loss to the Indians, compared to 27 total runs allowed in their previous seven home games.

• Erik Johnson picked up his first victory with Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, yielding two runs on four hits over seven innings at Louisville, while striking out seven. The right-hander has a 2.08 ERA over two starts for Charlotte after being promoted from Double-A Birmingham on June 22.

Sale looks to end series with Tribe on a high note

Mark Emery / MLB.com

Baseball is supposed to be a fun game, but it becomes a difficult endeavor to enjoy when a team loses as much as the have this season.

With Saturday's 4-3 loss, the last-place White Sox (32-46) have dropped four games in a row. Three of those losses have come courtesy of the Indians, who will be seeking a sweep in Sunday's series finale at U.S. Cellular Field. Both clubs will send their aces to the hill, with Justin Masterson scheduled to pitch for the Tribe opposite Chicago's Chris Sale.

Sale (5-6, 2.75 ERA) is winless in five June starts. He did, however, strike out 14 Astros on June 14 and 13 Mets on Tuesday. The lefty will look to turn around his own misfortunes, as well as those of his club against the Indians.

"It's not been fun for almost everybody in here," veteran Paul Konerko said. "Everybody has not had fun, as far as the team goes -- and only a couple [of] guys have enjoyed their own seasons. It's just not been a fun ride."

Cleveland, meanwhile, is having a ball. The second-place Indians (43-38) have won nine of their past 12 games.

Throughout the season, Nick Swisher has been one of the most enthusiastic ringleaders in the Tribe's clubhouse. A bum shoulder and a stressful slump combined to bother Swisher over the last month or so, but he seems to have turned things around.

After belting a game-winning homer in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, Swisher drove in the go-ahead run in Saturday's 4-3 victory.

"He feels good about himself," Cleveland manager said recently. "Boy, there'd be nothing better than to see him get hot."

The Indians usually feel good about themselves when Masterson (9-6, 3.76 ERA) takes the ball. In eight road starts, though, the sinkerballer is 3-5 with a 5.54 ERA.

Indians: Perez solid in return from DL

• Closer Chris Perez worked a perfect ninth inning on Saturday to pick up his first save since May 11. Perez, who came off the disabled list on Thursday, also threw a scoreless ninth in the first game of Friday's doubleheader, with the Indians leading by nine runs.

"I was very pleased with his delivery," Francona said afterward. "He was down. He was locating real well. It didn't look like he was overthrowing. I thought he looked pretty good. I was glad that was how we got him into a game. He was able to finish it, but he had a little cushion."

Perez has a 3.86 ERA and is 7-for-9 in save opportunities this season.

• Second baseman Jason Kipnis has been hot all month, but he's been particularly dangerous during this weekend series in Chicago. He went 2-for-3 and hit a game-tying, two-run homer in the sixth inning on Saturday.

His combined production from the past three games includes a .600 average (6-for-10) with three doubles, a homer, six runs scored, six RBIs and two stolen bases. Kipnis has also reached base in 32 straight games. White Sox: Dunn wrapping up swell month

• Adam Dunn hit his ninth of the month on Friday. Though he went 0-for-5 with three on Saturday, Dunn has played about as well in June as he has in any other month since joining the White Sox two years ago. In 26 games this month, Dunn is batting .272 (25-for-92) with 24 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He's also compiled 24 walks (including three that were intentional) and 25 strikeouts.

"His at-bats have been good. He's made solid contact," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "He looks as good as he did last year during points of just being on pitches and having tough at-bats.

"He's a threat when he goes up there. Again, it's the approach he's had the last three weeks of taking pitches and getting deep into counts. This is solid contact."

In 74 games this season, Dunn is batting .196 with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs.

Worth noting

• Cleveland has won six of its eight games against the White Sox this year. In those contests, the Indians outscored Chicago, 48-33. After Sunday, the two clubs will meet again on July 29 for the first of four games at Progressive Field.

• Prior to Saturday, Jesse Crain had made 31 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. That streak came to an end when Swisher's eighth-inning single brought home Asdrubal Cabrera, sending Crain and the White Sox to another loss.

Viciedo rewards Ventura for patience

Phil Rogers / ChicagoTribune.com

Proving he has no doghouse, Robin Ventura put Dayan Viciedo back in the lineup against the Indians on Saturday after gaffes in left field and on the bases contributed to a 19-10 loss in the first game of Friday's doubleheader. Good move.

Viciedo made two made-for-ESPN catches and delivered three hits, including a double and a run-scoring single. Ventura praised the energy Viciedo displayed in the 4-3 loss, and Viciedo said he is working to learn from his mistakes.

"Errors do happen,'' he said. "The mentality you have to keep is that when (one) happens you can't let it happen a second time.''

Viciedo's three hits matched a season high. He's hitting .193 in June, which has dropped his average to .237.

Hold the thought: Paul Konerko doesn't get ahead of himself too often. It wasn't surprising then that he deflected a question about whether he would use his 10/5 rights to block a trade to a contender.

"I'm not going to get into that,'' Konerko said. "I don't know many teams that are going to want a guy who can't play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things, that's off in the distance. My goal is to get this going here and (avoid a sell-off scenario).''

Konerko, sidelined since Sunday with a back issue, took batting practice Saturday. He hopes he can play Sunday and said he thinks he should be ready for next week's series against the Orioles. Tag, you're it: Right-hander Simon Castro, acquired from the Padres for Carlos Quentin after 2011, was promoted from Triple-A Charlotte to replace Brian Omogrosso in the bullpen.

The move was necessitated because Hector Santiago was knocked out in the third inning of Friday's opener. Omogrosso, the losing pitcher in that game, was optioned to Charlotte. Castro was awakened at 3:30 a.m. in Louisville and told to get to Chicago for the 3:10 p.m. start.

Castro opened the season as a starter with the Knights but had made his last four appearances out of the bullpen.

"Definitely I'm prepared,'' said Castro, who was 3-6 with a 4.92 ERA.

Extra innings: The White Sox distributed Billy Pierce bobbleheads in honor of the 211-game winner, who won 20 games in 1956 and '57. … The White Sox failed to homer in consecutive games for the first time since June 5-6, dropping to 6-23 when they do not homer. … Jeff Keppinger walked for the third game in a row. He's hitting .321 in June.

Kipnis thorn in Sox’s side

Phil Rogers / ChicagoTribune.com

Throw the ball over the plate, Jason Kipnis whacks it. Tyler Flowers knows that by now, which is why the White Sox catcher seldom let his mitt settle over the fat part of the plate when Kipnis batted on Saturday.

But when Dylan Axelrod and Jesse Crain hit a target outside the strike zone, Kipnis wouldn't budge.

Excellent strike-zone judgment contributed to another banner day for the Glenbrook North product. Kipnis' two-run homer in the sixth inning off Axelrod set the stage for Nick Swisher's game-winning single as the rampaging Indians beat the Sox 4-3 before a crowd of 26,289 at U.S. Cellular Field.

"He does a good job getting the bat on the ball,'' Flowers said about Kipnis, who has a 12-game hitting streak and has reached safely in 32 straight games. "He's not chasing. When you're not chasing, you get the barrel of the bat on the ball, and he is.''

Kipnis is 6-for-10 with five walks in the series, which began with the Indians outscoring the Sox 28-18 in Friday's doubleheader. He and Swisher have been a lethal 3-4 combination, with Kipnis scoring six runs and driving in six.

"I have a little track record here," said Kipnis, who is a .424 career hitter at the Cell. "It's always nice to hit and do well in front of your family and friends."

Swisher's long home run off Addison Reed gave the Indians a 9-8 victory in the nightcap Friday; his shot up the middle off Crain broke up a 3-3 tie in the eighth Saturday.

"The sun shines on some dog's rear end every day, bro," Swisher said.

While the Sox reel toward a mid-season purge, first-year manager Terry Francona and newcomers like Swisher and Michael Bourn have resurrected hope in Cleveland. The Indians have won 13 of 18 to climb five games above .500, trailing only the Tigers in the American League Central.

They did something Saturday that no one had done since April 12 — score an earned run on Crain. He had made 31 appearances since allowing a run to Cleveland during the second week of the season, a feat that has put him into serious consideration for a spot on the American League All-Star team. "I just filled it out,'' said Flowers, indicating he had voted for Crain in the players vote. "What the guy has done all year, he's one of the best relievers right now.''

With one out in the eighth, Asdrubal Cabrera dropped a single into center field. Kipnis then pulled a single to right- center and Swisher made it three singles in row to put Crain (2-3) on the hook for the loss.

"This stretch he has been in (has been great),'' Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Crain. "He's only going to come in during the toughest situations. Depending where the lineup is, it could be a really nasty situation.''

This was the fourth loss in a row for the Sox, who dropped to 8-22 since May 26. About the only good news for them is they have Chris Sale starting on Sunday.

Unfortunately, he will have to face Kipnis.

Konerko’s back better, hope to avoid DL

Phil Rogers / ChicagoTribune.com

The White Sox's Paul Konerko is encouraged about his chance to avoid a stint on the disabled list. He took batting practice Saturday for the first time since last Sunday and felt good enough that he’s hoping Robin Ventura will put him in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against Cleeland.

“There was no sharp pain or anything making me afraid to take a swing,’’ said Konerko, who received a series of injections in his back on Friday. “I was a little stiff and heavy but obviously I hadn’t picked up a bat since Sunday.

"You always feel a little awkward not touching a bat in five days. It wasn’t a stellar performance or anything but enough to where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.’’

Konerko said he believes he will be ready to play against the Orioles on Tuesday if Ventura wants to play it cautious on Sunday.

“The only way I could see that being an issue is if what I’m feeling now doesn’t go away or loosen up at all,’’ Konerko said. “Usually when you start doing stuff everyday (the discomfort) makes its way out.’’

Konerko, who has 10/5 no-trade rights to control his fate, declined to discuss whether he would be open to a trade.

“I’m not going to get into that,’’ Konerko said. “I’m just trying to get back on the field. I don’t know many teams that are going to want a guy who can’t play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things, that’s off in the distance.’’

Indians score go-ahead run in eighth to top Sox, end Jesse Crain’s streak

Toni Ginnetti / SunTimes.com

Baseball has been like a bad movie for the White Sox this season. ‘‘You couldn’t even come up with what’s happened in some of these games if you wrote a script and made up these endings,’’ captain Paul Konerko said Saturday. ‘‘This game keeps you in check as a player and as a team.

‘‘No one is happy in here. This is not part of the plan. There’s no other way to say it.’’

Another unexpected development put the Sox on the losing end of a 4-3 decision to the Cleveland Indians, who won their third game in a row in come-from-behind fashion. This time, the victim was Jesse Crain (2-3), who had been the Sox’ most reliable reliever with a franchise-record streak of 31 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run. But the Indians had three consecutive singles against Crain in the eighth to break a 3-3 tie.

‘‘He’s always going to come in kind of the toughest situations,’’ manager Robin Ventura said. ‘‘That eighth inning is one of those. It’s usually a nasty situation.’’

It shouldn’t have come to that, but the Sox stranded 11 runners.

‘‘Guys on base, you have a chance to kind of put it out of reach, so to speak, but we couldn’t do it,’’ said Ventura, who watched his team reach double digits in hits again (11), to no avail.

‘‘It’s been like that all year,’’ right-hander Dylan Axelrod said of the latest loss, which saw the Sox leading 3-1 before a two-run home run by Jason Kipnis in the sixth tied the score. ‘‘I was trying to get a strike [against Kipnis], but it didn’t come out the way I wanted. It’s frustrating. One pitch makes the difference in a ballgame. We could be the other way around if the breaks were going our way.’’

Instead, the Sox fell to 32-46 overall and to a dismal 4-12 in their last 16 games.

‘‘Most games are pretty close, but losing by nine [as the Sox did in a 19-10 defeat in Game 1 of a doubleheader Friday] doesn’t sting as much as losing by one [as they did in Game 2 and Saturday],’’ Ventura said.

Axelrod was credited with a quality start, his first in five starts since May 31 against the Oakland Athletics. But the Sox failed to hit a homer and fell to 6-23 when they don’t produce at least one long ball.

‘‘Axe pitched fine,’’ Ventura said. ‘‘It’s just one of those where he gave up a couple of homers and they got to Jesse, which has been hard to do for a lot of [teams]. As far as everything else, it was a clean game, and we played good defense. We kind of missed those [scoring] opportunities, and they come back and haunt you.’’

Konerko said he hopes the Sox can turn things around.

‘‘All you can hope for is that all the work we’ve put in as players in the offseason and as a team in will have some good coming out of it,’’ said Konerko, who missed his fifth consecutive game with pain in his lower back. ‘‘Sometimes when you get to that second half of the season — and we’re right there now — sometimes a switch just goes off for players and for teams. Hopefully that happens [because] it’s not been fun for almost everybody here.’’

Paul Konerko says he’s not thinking about being traded

Toni Ginnetti / SunTimes.com

Veteran Jim Thome accepted a trade from the White Sox to the contending on Aug. 31, 2009. It was his chance to get to the playoffs again.

Sox captain Paul Konerko isn’t ready to consider that scenario yet. ‘‘I’m not going to get into that,’’ he said Saturday. ‘‘I’m just trying to get back on the field. I don’t know many teams that are going to want a guy who can’t play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things, that’s off in the distance.’’

Konerko, 37, took swings for the first time in five days, testing his sore back after receiving pain injections Friday.

‘‘There was no sharp pain or anything making me afraid to take a swing,’’ he said. ‘‘I was a little stiff, but I hadn’t picked up a bat since Sunday. You always feel a little awkward not touching a bat in five days. It wasn’t a stellar performance or anything, but it was enough to where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.’’

The progress makes a move to the disabled list unlikely, but manager Robin Ventura said he likely would wait until Tuesday — after the Sox’ day off Monday — to play Konerko again.

A healthy Konerko, who is hitting .348 with two home runs and nine RBI in his last 14 games, could be a marketable commodity to a contending team, as Thome was. But he has full no-trade rights in the final year of his contract.

‘‘My goal is to get this going here and try in the next three or four weeks — until they have to make those decisions on everybody in here — to see if we can get good and see what happens,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t have any answers right now.’’

Lesson learned

Outfielder Dayan Viciedo was back in the starting lineup Saturday after his baserunning gaffe in Game 1 on Friday against the Cleveland Indians led to his benching in Game 2.

‘‘You’re not in the doghouse forever,’’ Ventura said. ‘‘He knows [his mistake]. If it’s in play, you run hard.’’

Viciedo responded by making a couple of sparkling defensive plays and going 3-for-4 with an RBI.

‘‘I tried to stay as calm as possible and play hard,’’ he said. ‘‘I tried not to let [Friday] carry over. It was good compared to [Friday].’’

Pitching in

Outfielder Casper Wells, who pitched the ninth inning of the Sox’ 19-10 loss in Game 1 on Friday, last pitched eight years ago at Towson State.

‘‘I wouldn’t say it was like riding a bike, but I tried to stay relaxed and have fun with it,’’ he said.

Wells was the first player since former Minnesota Twins outfielder Dan Gladden on May 7, 1989, to pitch in one game of a doubleheader and start in the outfield in the other, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Roster move

Right-hander Simon Castro earned a call-up from Class AAA Charlotte to help the taxed bullpen. Optioned to Charlotte was right-hander Brian Omogrosso, and Brent Morel also was sent back after Conor Gillaspie’s paternity leave expired.

It might be time for Hahn, White Sox to look ahead

Scot Gregor / DailyHerald.com

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn is expected to meet with the media before Sunday afternoon’s game against the Cleveland Indians at U.S. Cellular Field.

Don’t expect Hahn to come right out and say: “I’m trading Player X here and Player Y there.” He’s not going to do that out of respect to Sox players still in uniform and because naming names is bad for overall business.

Do expect Hahn to given an update on his patience level when it comes to waiting for the last-place White Sox (32- 46) to get their season turned around.

They lost again Saturday, this time by a 4-3 decision to the Indians; the Sox are 8-22 in their last 30 games.

The guess here is Hahn knows the White Sox are not going to contend this season, and the next step is deciding when it’s time to start trading players. The July 31 nonwaiver deadline is still more than a month away, so Hahn doesn’t have to rush.

When it is time to move, the names should be interesting.

According to CBSSports.com, Chris Sale and Paul Konerko are the White Sox’ only untouchables.

We’ll see about that, but the Sox obviously like Sale because he is good and relatively cheap with a contract that guarantees $32.5 million through 2017.

As for Konerko, he has 10-5 rights and could veto any trade. But Hahn might just want to keep one of the most productive hitters in franchise history through the end of the season so White Sox fans can identify with at least one familiar face on the field.

Konerko has missed the Sox’ last five games with a sore lower back, and he wasn’t interested in trade speculation Saturday.

“I’m just trying to get back on the field,” he said. “I don’t know many teams that are going to want a guy who can’t play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things, that’s off in the distance.”

If Hahn did find a trade partner and went to Konerko with the details, odds seem good the 37-year-old captain would accept the deal and move on.

“You learn the business and you learn when all that stuff goes down,” Konerko said. “Usually nothing happens as much as you think it’s going to happen and when it does happen it’s very close to the end. So you are talking almost a month from now.”

Konerko was much more upbeat about his back. After taking some swings Saturday, he’s likely to avoid going on the disabled list. But Konerko is not expected to play until Tuesday.

“There was no sharp pain or anything making me afraid to take a swing,” he said. “I was a little stiff and heavy, but obviously I hadn’t picked up a bat since Sunday. You always feel a little awkward not touching a bat in five days.

“It wasn’t a stellar performance or anything but enough to where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.” As for nearing the end of his stellar 15-year run with the White Sox, Konerko is not going to lose any sleep over it.

“This isn’t a life-ending or life-threatening situation,” Konerko said. “You go out there and give it everything you’ve got, but at the end of the day, all you can do is your best.

“If things go that way and they start doing all that stuff, you deal with it. If not, move on from there.”

Sox better, but still not good enough

Doug Padilla / ESPNChicago.com

CHICAGO – Buried beneath the rubble of Friday’s doubleheader debacle, the Chicago White Sox managed to dig themselves out a little bit on Saturday but still walked away with another defeat.

One day after the Indians scored a combined 28 runs in two games, White Sox starter Dylan Axelrod held the red-hot Cleveland Indians to three runs over six innings, using his crafty style of location and change of pace to do it.

It was Axelrod’s first quality start since May 31 at Oakland.

“I mean, they’re swinging it real well,” Axelrod said of the Indians. “It just came down to making pitches. I felt like if I executed, you can be as hot as you want, if you execute pitches things are going to happen in a pitcher’s favor. I really felt good about most every pitch I made today.”

“Most every” means there were some he would have taken back, like the cut fastball the Indians’ Jason Kipnis hit into the right-field seats to tie the game in the sixth inning. Axelrod also gave up a home run to Asdrubal Cabrera in the fourth inning.

Kipnis has reached base 11 times in the first three games of the series -- seven on hits and four on walks.

“He’s a really good fastball hitter, but right now he’s locked in,” Axelrod said. “You’ve just got to make real quality pitches, mix it up. He’s on the top of his game right now.”

The White Sox scored 18 runs themselves Friday but managed just three on Saturday. One came on a Tyler Flowers double in the second inning, while Conor Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo had RBI hits in the fifth inning.

“They’re all tough,” manager Robin Ventura said about another defeat. “When you lose it like this and guys are doing their job, it seems a little better just because it’s a baseball game and you’re going to be on the losing end of some of them. After yesterday, it seemed like one of those where probably the offense was probably tired from both sides.”

The defeat dropped the White Sox to a season-low 14 games under .500 at 32-46.

The White Sox have surrendered leads in all three games of the current series, blowing a five-run lead in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader and a three-run lead in Game 2. Their biggest lead Saturday was by two runs.

The White Sox fell to 12-18 in one-run games and lost for the 25th time when they held the lead at one point.

“It’s been like that,” Axelrod said. “All year, it’s been frustrating. It’s the little things. Like today, one pitch may have been the difference in the game. We’ve lost a lot of close games. It’s been real close to being, who knows … we could be the other way around if we had the little breaks going our way.”

Viciedo gets message loud and clear

Doug Padilla / ESPNChicago.com

CHICAGO – Somebody sure got the message, as Dayan Viciedo did all he could to will the Chicago White Sox to a victory.

It was to no avail in Saturday's 4-3 defeat to the Cleveland Indians, but Viciedo still began the process of redeeming himself after he was yanked from Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader because of a baserunning gaffe.

In the first and third innings, the burly outfielder known as “Tank” made diving catches. Among his season-high-tying three hits was an RBI single in the fifth inning that gave the White Sox a 3-1 lead.

There was clearly a different energy about him after he seemed to drift from second base Friday on a two-out single to center. He was tagged out when he stopped running between third base and home plate.

The White Sox were getting pummeled in that game, which they lost 19-10, and while the run wouldn’t have mattered in the grand scheme of things, the miscue did add to the team’s embarrassment.

“Based on yesterday I just tried to stay as calm as possible and just play hard today,” Viciedo said through an interpreter. “I tried not to let that carry over into today and play hard both in the field and have good at-bats. I had the day that I had, which was good considering how I played yesterday.”

The 23-year-old Viciedo has been somewhat of an enigma after entering the season with the potential to move out front as one of the better run producers on the team. He was slowed by an oblique injury in April and missed a month, hitting the ball well when he returned.

But he quickly began to slump and didn’t seem to heed the advice of coaches who were telling him to slow down his mechanics at the plate instead of getting overanxious. Pitchers were using his aggressive approach against him with a bevy of changeups and breaking pitches. As his struggles deepened, even fastballs proved to be a challenge.

“Mistakes do happen, but the mentality that you have to have and I have is that a mistake can happen but you can’t let it happen a second time,” Viciedo said. “You have to learn from that. I am young, younger, and I have to learn from those mistakes. You can’t let them happen again.”

Manager Robin Ventura was up front between games of Friday’s doubleheader saying that Viciedo was pulled from Game 1 not because of a planned defensive substitution but because of his blunder on the bases.

Ventura didn’t use Viciedo in the second game on Friday but decided to use him Saturday. Well aware that Viciedo is still a young player, Ventura still doesn’t want to make excuses for somebody with so much talent.

“There’s part of that, of growing into what you’re going to be,” Ventura said in acknowledging Viciedo’s youth. “Going through challenges is the hardest thing a player will do, especially young to be able to get through it. Eventually, when you get through it, it makes you better for the rest of your career.”

Rapid Reaction: Indians 4, White Sox 3

Doug Padilla / ESPNChicago.com

CHICAGO – The losses continue to mount as the Chicago White Sox fell 4-3 to the Cleveland Indians on Saturday to drop a season-high 14 games under .500 at 32-46. How it happened: Reliever Jesse Crain gave up an earned run for the first time in 31 innings, and it ended up costing the White Sox. The Indians went ahead for good in the eighth inning on Nick Swisher’s RBI single to center field. Conor Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo had RBI hits in the fifth inning to give the White Sox the lead before the Indians’ Jason Kipnis tied it with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Kipnis has reached base 11 times in the first three games of the series.

What it means: Crain still figures to retain plenty of trade value despite the end of his earned-run scoreless streak, which began, oddly enough, after he gave up an earned run to the Indians on April 12. Crain did have his 30- appearance scoreless streak snapped last weekend, but those runs were unearned. Crain’s ERA jumped from 0.50 to 0.74 after the Indians scored Saturday. A total of 34 of his 38 outings this season have been scoreless.

Outside the box: Nate Jones’ resurgence continued with a scoreless inning Saturday. He is now 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA and 21 strikeouts over his past 12 appearances. An ERA that was once up to 7.04 was lowered to 4.39. Jones doesn’t figure to be off limits when it comes to trade talks, but the White Sox are expected to do everything to keep a pitcher who is not only young and affordable, but has the potential to be a closer down the road.

Offbeat: There was no denying the hustle from Viciedo on Saturday, one day after he was pulled from a game. In Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader, Viciedo failed to score from second base on a two-out single to center field, slowing down between third base and home plate. He was replaced immediately and was not in the starting lineup for the second game. On Saturday, he made a diving catch in left field in the first inning and another diving/rolling effort to end the top of the third. He also had three hits.

Up next: The White Sox will send left-hander Chris Sale (5-6, 2.75 ERA) to the mound Sunday in the series finale. He will be opposed by Indians right-hander Justin Masterson (9-6, 3.76 ERA) in the 1:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.

Konerko ponders trade possibilities

Doug Padilla / ESPNChicago.com

CHICAGO – Until Paul Konerko starts seeing teammates ushered off to new teams in trade-deadline deals, the Chicago White Sox captain won’t consider his own status because he is a player with no-trade privileges.

Konerko’s immediate focus is with a bad back that has kept him out of action since Sunday at Kansas City.

“I’m just trying to get back on the field,” Konerko said Saturday. “I don’t know many teams that are going to want a guy who can’t play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things, that’s off in the distance.”

That certainly doesn’t sound like a guy who has completely rejected the idea of moving on from a team whose uniform he has worn for 15 seasons and is one of the most beloved players in franchise history.

“You learn the business, and you learn when all that stuff goes down,” Konerko said. “You do see some moves sometimes really early. Nothing really happens. Usually, nothing happens as much as you think it’s going to happen, and when it does happen, it’s very close to the end. So you are talking almost a month from now.”

The White Sox are reportedly going over trade options for some of their players as a disappointing season has left them well behind front-office expectations. Players like reliever Jesse Crain and outfielder Alex Rios could have value, or even pitcher Jake Peavy, if he can return from a rib injury in time.

Konerko could also draw some interest not only because of his power bat and a track record of steady offensive production but also because his contract expires at the end of the season and he wouldn’t require too much of a financial commitment.

But as a player with at least 10 seasons in the league and five with the same team, he has the right to veto any deal. As a resident of the Phoenix area during the offseason, Konerko might limit himself to West Coast options. During his runs in free agency he seemed to have interest in teams west of the Rocky Mountains before ultimately returning to Chicago.

“I’ve got enough to worry about,” Konerko said. “We’ve got enough to worry about. It just gets ingrained in you as you go. You just…I don’t want to say you don’t have any control over it, because as a team and as a player you do have control of playing well to make things better and maybe stop things from happening. But you do and you don’t.

“You go out on the field and do the best you can, and that’s all you can really do. The guys upstairs, that’s what they get paid to do and make those decisions. You kind of have to throw your hands up at that kind of stuff. I think everybody in here, whatever comes down the road, we have a handle.”

After getting six pain-killing injections in his lower back Friday, Konerko now believes he can avoid a stint on the disabled list. He has missed the past four games and might not be ready to get back on the field until Tuesday.

“There was no sharp pain or anything making me afraid to take a swing,” Konerko said. “I was a little stiff and heavy but, obviously, I hadn’t picked up a bat since Sunday. You always feel a little awkward not touching a bat in five days. It wasn’t a stellar performance or anything but enough to where I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

That light at the end of the July 31 non-waiver, trade-deadline tunnel is another matter.

“This isn’t life-ending or life-threatening situations,” Konerko said. “You go out there and give it everything you got, but at the end of the day, all you can do is your best. If things go that way and they start doing all that stuff, you deal with it. If not, move on from there.”

Viciedo back in lineup after blunder

Bruce Levine / ESPNChicago.com

One day after getting benched for a baserunning gaffe, Dayan Viciedo was back in the White Sox lineup.

Viciedo was caught in a rundown as he attempted to score from second base on a base hit. His thoughtless miscue came with his team down nine runs in the eighth inning of a 19-10 loss.

Manager Robin Ventura took the outfielder out of the game and sat him in the second game of the doubleheader. “You end up talking to him, making sure they know," Ventura said. “He is in there today. It is not like you are in the doghouse forever. He knows that if you are in the game you have to run hard. You have to give [the coach] a chance to send you."

Like many of his White Sox teammates, Viciedo has had a horrible first half. As of late, mental mistakes have compounded the other issues that surround this underachieving group. So far, Ventura and GM Rick Hahn have decided to support the young Cuban defector. A demotion to the minor leagues is still a possible last resort if Viciedo does not get with the White Sox program.

"That is always a possibility," Ventura said. “You see the potential there to see him make it through this and be a very good player. Right now I don’t see that [a demotion] but any time you are dealing with what you are going through it can be there for anybody.”

Viciedo is very disappointed in a season that has produced a .227 batting average with 5 home runs and 22 RBI. “This is one of the hardest moments I have ever gone through," Viciedo said through team translator Lou Hernandez. “I hit this slump and the only way I know out of it is to work through it. There is no doubt this is the worst stretch I have had. We have to answer for what we do out there. You just have to work at it."

Much was expected out of the young player, who hit 25 home runs in 2012.

White Sox give Castro a chance

Doug Padilla / ESPNChicago.com

CHICAGO – A recent conversion to the bullpen made Simon Castro the ideal candidate to join the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

The White Sox called up the right-hander not long after right-hander Brian Omogrosso was optioned back to Triple-A following a drubbing Friday against the Cleveland Indians when he gave up nine runs in 2 1/3 innings.

“Definitely I’m prepared,” said Castro, who had a 4.92 ERA at Charlotte this season and has no major league experience. “I’m working hard to be ready for that and I threw a couple of times out of the bullpen in Charlotte, so I feel pretty good.”

Ventura hinted early in the week that the White Sox were interested in adding a long reliever. But when Friday’s doubleheader came, the White Sox opted for an extra position player with Brent Morel.

Omogrosso’s outing opened the door for the White Sox to make the move they appeared to be ready to make anyway.

“What he would do is similar to what a long reliever/starter would do,” Ventura said. “He's in there, he's earned the right to be here filling in if we need him.”

In other words, it sounds like Castro would be limited to mop-up duty until he can prove himself.

Castro opened the season with 12 starts, but his last four outings have come in relief. It’s been somewhat of a rocky transition as he has given up two runs in two of the four outings, while pitching at least two innings in three of the four appearances.

Castro was acquired by the White Sox on Dec. 31, 2011 in the deal that sent Carlos Quentin to the San Diego Padres. The White Sox also acquired Pedro Hernandez in that move, but he was sent on to the Minnesota Twins in the deal that landed Francisco Liriano.

Crain’s streak ends, White Sox fall to Indians

JJ Stankevitz / CSNChicago.com

Jesse Crain hadn't allowed an earned run since April 12, a stretch spanning 31 appearances. That streak ended Saturday, and for the Murphy's Law White Sox, the run Crain allowed was the game-winning tally for Cleveland in a 4-3 loss.

With the score tied at 3 in the eighth, Asdrubal Cabrera, Jason Kipnis and Nick Swisher hit consecutive singles -- only Kipnis' was hit hard -- to bring in the go-ahead run off Crain, who entered the game with a 0.50 ERA. It took a spectacular leaping catch by second baseman Gordon Beckham to keep the Indians from scoring more off the right- hander.

"That was kind of a tough inning, I guess," catcher Tyler Flowers said. "It'd be one thing if they were barreling up balls, giving up a run that way. That's just how it goes sometimes." Crain's streak of 31 appearances without allowing an earned run tied for the 14th-longest in MLB history and was the longest in White Sox history. In that span, Crain allowed 23 hits and nine walks with 40 strikeouts.

"Jesse probably wasn't gonna finish the year with a 0.10 (ERA)," Flowers added. "Something's got to happen sometimes, and they just happen to put a couple together and get that run across."

A day after allowing 28 runs in a doubleheader against Cleveland, the White Sox pitching was better on Saturday, even with Crain giving up the lead. Dylan Axelrod put together a quality start, allowing three runs on five hits in six innings of work. But the White Sox offense -- which scored 19 runs in Friday's doubleheader -- squandered plenty of chances to break the game open.

The Sox banged out 11 hits and drew four walks but only mustered three runs thanks in large part to stranding 11 runners on base. In the fifth inning, the White Sox had Indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez on the ropes but let him escape when Flowers watched a slider go by for strike three, ending the frame with the bases loaded.

"It was a clean game, and we played good defense," manager Robin Ventura said. "We kind of missed those opportunities, and they come back and haunt you."

Dayan Viciedo went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI and made a pair of excellent diving catches. For the left fielder, it was a bit of redemption after he was benched Friday for failing to hustle on the basepaths.

"There’s part of that, of growing into what you’re going to be," Ventura, who shot down speculation Viciedo could be sent down to the minors before the game, said. "To be able to do that for him, again, going through hard stuff is the hardest thing a player will do, especially young to be able to get through it. Eventually, when you get through it, it makes you better for the rest of your career."

The White Sox couldn't follow the same redemption storyline, though, and instead slipped further into last place in the AL Central.

"It's been like that all year. It's been frustrating little things -- like today, one pitch made the difference in the game," Axelrod said. "We've lost a lot of close games (by) three runs or less, a ton of games we've been in. It's been real close, and who knows, it could be the other way around if the little breaks were going our way."

White Sox notes: On the bright side…

JJ Stankevitz / CSNChicago.com

The White Sox entered Saturday with a 32-45 record, the second-worst in the American League and third-worst in baseball. The two teams that are worse were expected to be bad heading into the season -- Miami (27-51) traded away nearly every valuable asset in the offseason, and Houston (30-50) hardly had any valuable assets in the first place.

Few things have gone right for the White Sox this year, who looked the part of a 32-45 team in losing both games of a marathon doubleheader with Cleveland on Friday. But while it may seem like it, things aren't all bad on the South Side.

Adam Dunn is a big part of that.

The first baseman/ combined to go 3-8 yesterday, raising his batting average to the Mendoza Line for the first time since April 7. But hitting .200 isn't nearly as important for Dunn as an improving on-base percentage (up to .309 from .245 to begin June) and better power numbers (nine home runs in the month). While Dunn struggled early in the season, he insisted he felt good at the plate -- only now, the production is coming around.

"He's probably had some of our better at-bats when you look at the last three weeks of him swinging the bat," manager Robin Ventura said. "Everybody strikes out, so I think some people look at it like if he strikes out like, oh, there it goes again. But his at-bats have been good. He's made solid contact, couple homers, driving in some runs even a lefty last night.

"He looks as good as he did last year during points of just being on pitches and having tough at-bats. He's grinding out a couple walks, maybe he probably would've swung through earlier of not looking as good."

Viciedo not close to demotion

Ventura yanked Dayan Viciedo from the first game of Friday's doubleheader after he was thrown out on the bases to end the eighth inning, a gaffe that only compounded a 19-10 loss. Viciedo was back in the White Sox lineup on Saturday, and while he's struggled Ventura doesn't anticipate sending the 24-year-old back to the minors -- although he wouldn't rule it out, either.

"That's always a possibility there, but you see the potential for him to be able to make it through and be a very good player," Ventura said. "Right now I don't necessarily see that. But any time you're dealing with what you're going through it's there for pretty much anybody."

Top prospect Hawkins' hamstring issue not serious

2012 first-round pick Courtney Hawkins was removed from Single-A Winston-Salem's game Friday night with a hamstring issue, although the White Sox don't believe it's more of a muscle strain and is not serious. Hawkins, who is hitting .189/.255/.491 with seven home runs with Winston-Salem, is expected to miss three or four days of action.

Hawkins was rated as the 55th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America prior to the 2013 season and is one of five U.S.-born players up for an MLB.com fan vote to play in the Futures Game next month in New York.

Castro gets the call

Prior to Saturday's game, the White Sox optioned right-hander Brian Omogrosso and third baseman Brent Morel to Triple-A and recalled right-hander Simon Castro, who will serve as a long reliever out of the White Sox bullpen.

The White Sox acquired the 25-year-old Castro from San Diego along with left-hander Pedro Hernandez in exchange for outfielder Carlos Quentin on Dec. 31, 2011. In 75 innings with Triple-A Charlotte, Castro posted a 4.92 ERA with 63 strikeouts, 28 walks and seven home runs allowed.

Bracing for trade speculation, Konerko unlikely to hit DL

JJ Stankevitz / CSNChicago.com

Paul Konerko took swings in the batting cage Saturday, and feels his back pain has improved to the point where he won't need to spend time on the disabled list.

Manager Robin Ventura's hope is Konerko will return to the White Sox lineup Tuesday as a designated hitter, and thinks he could use the team's captain as a on Saturday and Sunday against Cleveland. "I don’t really see that happening," Konerko said when asked if he'd have to land on the disabled list. "The only way I could see that being an issue is if what I’m feeling now doesn’t go away or loosen up at all. Usually when you start doing stuff everyday it makes it way out [the discomfort]."

The 37-year-old Konerko figured if he's able to swing a bat he could also play first base, although Ventura -- as has been the case all year -- will continue to take a measured approach as to when to put him in the field. With the halfway point of the season fast approaching, Konerko has only played 34 games at first base. He hasn't played fewer than 90 games in the field during a season since 1999, his first year with the White Sox.

"I think when guys have back pain, it's not one of those he's going to deal with all the time as far as pain," Ventura said. "But I think every player at some point, backs are not an easy thing to overcome. … It's one of those, you deal with it but I don't think it's something it's going to be a painful thing every time he steps on the field."

Konerko's 2013 numbers are well below his career averages -- a .253/.319/.373 slash line -- although he was hitting better before being knocked out of the lineup with a balky back. Since the start of June, Konerko has a much healthier .278/.350/.403 slash line, although his power (three doubles, two home runs) remains lacking.

CSNChicago.com's Dan Hayes confirmed a report on Thursday that the last-place White Sox are open for business, but won't listen to offers on Konerko and starter Chris Sale. But if a contending team came along and wanted Konerko -- who's in the final season of a three-year, $45 million deal -- he wouldn't necessarily turn a trade down. He also wouldn't necessarily accept it, either, because it's a question he's not close to considering.

"I’m not going to get into that. I’m just trying to get back on the field," Konerko said. "I don’t know many teams that are going to want a guy who can’t play. Until I get back out there and start doing some things that’s off in the distance.

"My goal is to get this going here and try in the next three, four weeks until they have to make those decisions on everybody in here. Let’s see if we can get good and see what happens. I don’t have any answers right now."

Konerko understands the business aspect of the game in which he's played for 17 seasons. He doesn't expect the White Sox to start dealing his teammates away for another month, when the non-waiver trade deadline will only be a few days away. But the clock is ticking until July 31, especially for a last-place team that seems to find new ways to lose every series.

"I don’t want to say you don’t have any control over it, because as a team and as a player you do have control of playing well to make things better and maybe stop things from happening," Konerko explained. "… You go out on the field and do the best you can and that’s all you can really do."

"The guys upstairs, that’s what they get paid to do and make those decisions. You kind of have to throw your hands up at that kind of stuff. I think everybody in here -- whatever comes down the road, we have a handle."

Indians beat White Sox for third time in less than 24 hours

AP / via ESPN.com

CHICAGO -- The boos Nick Swisher heard before his first plate appearance were nothing compared to the reception he received after his tiebreaking single in the eighth.

Swisher's single helped the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox for the third time in less than 24 hours, 4-3 Saturday.

His homer in the ninth inning Friday night propelled Cleveland to a sweep of a marathon doubleheader. "It's that never die attitude," Swisher said. "I just feel like we keep fighting. We keep doing our thing. This is a good squad."

This time, Cabrera, Jason Kipnis and Swisher hit consecutive one-out singles off Jesse Crain (2-3) in the eighth. Crain allowed his first earned run since April 12. He went 31 outings before Saturday without giving up an earned run.

"It's one of those he's always going to come in, kind of the toughest situations," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "That eighth inning's just one of those, depending on where that lineup is, it's usually a nasty situation. It's impressive just kind of the run he's been on."

Joe Martinez (1-0), called up from Triple-A Columbus Saturday, earned the victory in his first major league appearance this season. He pitched two innings and held Chicago to two hits and no runs with one .

"He really clutched up," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said about Martinez. "That's not the easiest situation to be put into."

"It's not like there was a safety net there," Francona added. "He did really well."

Cleveland closer Chris Perez earned his seventh save in nine attempts.

Kipnis tied the game 3-all with a two-run home run in the sixth inning. Kipnis said he caught a cutter from White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Axelrod. Michael Bourn started the inning with a walk and Cabrera flew out to right field before Kipnis homered beyond the bullpen in right field.

"It wasn't a big swing," said Kipnis, who has a 12-game hitting streak and has reached base in 32 consecutive games. "It was more reacting in and letting the hands do the work. I got it well enough."

Chicago rallied with two outs in the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Conor Gillaspie and Dayan Viciedo had back-to- back RBI singles to score Alex Rios and Jeff Keppinger. Catcher Tyler Flowers had a chance to add on but struck out looking with the bases loaded.

Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit his sixth home run of the season to tie the game at 1 in the fourth inning.

White Sox left fielder Viciedo made a pair of terrific catches that easily could have been base hits for the Indians. His first was a diving grab of a looper from Cabrera that was fair and in shallow left field, where Viciedo snagged it just as it was about to hit the ground. His second highlight catch prevented Bourn from reaching base in the third inning, when Viciedo sprinted into the gap to make the play. He also went 3 for 4 with an RBI and a double.

"Today, energy-wise, he was up and ready to go," Ventura said. "Swinging the bat, he was a lot better, too. Just something that seemed a little calmer with him."

Chicago took the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Flowers had an RBI double, but the White Sox stranded runners on second and third.

Game notes

White Sox 1B/DH Paul Konerko took batting practice Saturday, his first action since last playing June 23 in Kansas City. Konerko, who has pain in the lower right side of his back, doesn't think he's headed to the disabled list and hopes to play Sunday. Ventura said Konerko probably won't play Sunday but there's a good chance he would be in the lineup Tuesday against Baltimore. ... Before Saturday's game the White Sox recalled pitcher Simon Castro, who has never pitched in the major leagues. ... Chicago right fielder Rios snapped an 0-for-13 streak at the plate with his single in the fifth inning. ... Francona was surprised to hear Friday's doubleheader was the longest in Major League history. "I guess that's the one advantage to waking up every day feeling (lousy), you really don't feel all that different." ... Chicago will start Chris Sale (5-6, 2.75 ERA) and Cleveland starts Justin Masterson (9-6, 3.76) in today's series closer at 1:10 p.m.

Indians-White Sox Preview

Jon Palmieri, STATS INC. / via Yahoo.com

It's been over 18 years since the Cleveland Indians swept a four-game series from the Chicago White Sox.

The Indians may have to get the best of Chris Sale on Sunday to end that drought, but that wasn't a problem in their last matchup with Chicago's ace.

Since losing a season-high eight straight, the Indians (43-38) have gone in the opposite direction by winning 13 of 18 to pull within one game of AL Central-leading . Cleveland has won the first three of this series to put itself in position for its first four-game sweep of Chicago since May 29-June 1, 1995.

Nick Swisher has delivered the big hit in the last two victories. He homered to cap a four-run ninth inning in a 9-8 win in the second game of Friday's marathon doubleheader, and singled home the tiebreaking run in the eighth of Saturday's 4-3 victory.

"It's that never die attitude," Swisher said. "I just feel like we keep fighting. We keep doing our thing. This is a good squad."

Jason Kipnis continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer Saturday, making him 6 for 9 with six RBIs and six runs in this series.

Kipnis, who grew up in nearby Northbrook, Ill., is batting an AL-best .419 with 25 RBIs in June, and he's a career .424 hitter at U.S. Cellular Field.

"It's fun to hit them anywhere, but in Chicago with friends and family in the stands it makes it that much more sweet," Kipnis said.

He'll look to lead the Indians to their second win this season against Sale (5-6, 2.75 ERA) and seventh in nine meetings with the White Sox (32-46).

The left-hander is 0-4 this month despite a 3.15 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 34 1-3 innings. Sale, receiving a league-low 2.84 runs of support per outing, was in line for the win Tuesday against the Mets after striking out 13 over eight innings, but a dropped pop-up in the infield in the ninth kept him winless since May 17.

"Stuff happens," he said. "It's definitely not the first time that's happened and it's probably not the last, either. My record is irrelevant."

He was tagged for a career-high eight runs - including two homers - over 4 1-3 innings in a 9-4 loss at Cleveland on April 13. He was 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA in his first three starts against the Indians.

The White Sox have lost four straight and 12 of 16 to drop a season-worst 14 games under .500.

"We've lost a lot of close games," Saturday's starting pitcher Dylan Axelrod said. "I think, three runs or less, kind of games we've been in. It's been real close to being, who knows, we could be the other way around if the little breaks were going our way."

Justin Masterson (9-6, 3.63) looks to end a five-start road losing streak for the Indians. Since a 3-2 win over the White Sox on April 22, the right-hander is 0-5 with a 5.54 ERA in five road outings. He appeared poised to end that skid Tuesday at Baltimore, taking a 3-1 lead into the seventh before giving up five runs - including two homers - in an eventual 6-3 loss. Masterson is 2-4 with a 5.20 ERA in his last seven starts overall after opening the year 7-2 with a 2.83 ERA in his first 10.

He's dominated the White Sox this season, winning both starts while allowing two runs and nine hits in 16 innings.

Masterson is 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA in eight starts in Chicago.