ARLINGTON -- The White Sox had a chance to win all three games they played against the Rangers this weekend at Globe Life Park.

That’s the good news. But with a 7-4 loss on Sunday, the bad news is the White Sox only won one.

• Box score

An eighth-inning rally came up a bit short, dropping Chicago to 2-3 on this eight-game road trip, with a three-game series in Boston beginning Monday as the last first-half road series. The loss set the White Sox record to 36-39, and also dropped them to 4-5 in this stretch of 15 straight games against would-be playoff contenders.

Sunday’s game loomed as the most decisive win of the weekend with the Rangers holding a 5-1 advantage entering the eighth. But the White Sox cut the margin to 5-2 on a bases-loaded walk issued by Pete Fairbanks to James McCann, and they added two more when center fielder Delino DeShields dropped Eloy Jimenez’s sac fly laser with a 108.7 mph exit velocity, putting runners on second and third with one out against left-handed reliever Brett Martin.

Manager Rick Renteria could have gone to the right-handed hitting Jose Rondon against Martin, but stayed with left-handed hitting Yonder Alonso, who has a .262 average against southpaws over 50 plate appearances this season. Alonso got ahead in the count at 2-1 before Martin came back to strike him out swinging. Shortstop Tim Anderson struck out on a 3-2 slider from closer Shawn Kelley to end the White Sox final threat.

“I was trying to get the job done, that’s No. 1,” said Alonso of the at-bat. “I saw the infield back. Looking at the at-bat on the video, he made really, really good pitches.

“Tip your cap to the pitches that he made. I was able to get him 2-1, laying off some tough sliders, and he made a really good pitch on the 2-1. Then made another good pitch on the 2-2. So, just got to get the job done. Try to get a better at-bat out there and compete better. Just get the job done, and I wasn’t able to do those things.”

Most of Texas’ offense came against White Sox starter Ivan Nova in a four-run second. Ronald Guzman’s sacrifice fly and Tim Federowicz’s solo home run gave Texas a 2-0 lead, before Alonso’s two-out fielding error on Shin-Soo Choo’s grounder extended the inning. Danny Santana followed with a home run on the next pitch. Nova allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk over six innings, striking out six.

“I give everything I got out there today,” Nova said. “I gave up that home run after two outs. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make that play at first base and that changed the whole thing.”

“Gotta make that play,” Alonso said. “I did not make that play. Gotta make that play.”

That Alonso defensive miscue compounded a rough day, which included a single and a hard-hit grounder turned into a second-inning double play, adding to a tough debut campaign with the White Sox. But in dealing with the first true struggles of a successful 10-year-career -- his .178 average ranks second from last in the Majors among qualifiers -- Alonso is working to get better.

“With the little break I’ve had here, my at-bats are a lot better,” Alonso said. “But again, I have to continue to fight, continue to compete, continue to be prepared. I know I’ve had success. First time ever [for this kind of struggle]. I know I can get out of it and help this team win every single day.”

“Right now, he hasn’t been the same guy he has been in the past,” said Renteria of Alonso. “There’s a hope he’ll settle back down and put himself in position. He’s doing everything he can to do that. He’s been trying to get himself back on track.”