Ubaldo deals a tarnished gem in setback
Works seven stingy innings, gives up solo homer
CHICAGO- Ubaldo Jimenez has allowed just one run over his last 15 innings. But, unfortunately for the right-hander, that run translated into Friday night's loss.
Despite turning in his third quality outing in four starts, Jimenez was the tough-luck loser in the Orioles' 1-0 setback to the White Sox, the team's fourth defeat in five games.
"He's been pretty solid all year," manager Buck Showalter said of Jimenez, who has a staff-leading seven wins. "The only time I thought he might be getting a little out of sync was the very last inning. He deserved that type of outing. He made one mistake [to Jose Abreu] on an 0-2. I'm sure he's trying to go, 0-2, down and away but it caught just a little too much of the plate for a strong guy."
Video: BAL@CWS: Abreu drills a solo home run to right
Abreu's third-inning homer was the only blemish on Jimenez's 106-pitch outing as he held the White Sox to six hits over seven innings.
"I feel really good," said Jimenez, who took his first loss since May 16. "Every time I take the mound, I feel like I'm going to give the team the chance to be close on the scoreboard and win the game. That's how I feel."
Jimenez, who had a four-start win streak snapped, delivered the latest strong outing for an Orioles club that has seen its rotation pitch to a 1.27 ERA over the past three games. But they have won just one of those as runs have been hard to come by for a previously red-hot lineup.
"He didn't have his great stuff, but he really battled there and gave us a chance to win," catcher Caleb Joseph said of Jimenez's outing, which was his first loss in six games against the Sox. "Too bad we couldn't scratch a couple runs across for him."