The Chicago White Sox can't figure out why they are playing so badly. They had better find out quickly.
Milton Bradley hit a two-run double and Brian Anderson earned his first win in eight starts for the Cleveland Indians, who defeated Chicago 5-2 to complete a three-game sweep Monday in Cleveland.
The White Sox dropped to 2-5 with six games to play on their longest trip in 19 years.
"More than anything, this is discouraging," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. "We're reaching and searching for all the positives we can find. We've got to keep pushing."
White Sox management has maintained that Manuel's job is safe, but there has been speculation the sixth-year skipper may be released during the remainder of the four-city, 14-day trip.
"This whole thing is tough to figure out," said Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko, who went 0-for-3 and has one hit in 27 at-bats (.037) over his last nine games. "If we get down and negative, that is not going to work. We have to stay together."
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PADRES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 1: In San Diego, Carlton Loewer won for the first time since being hurt in a hunting accident in January 2000, pitching five solid innings as the San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 on Monday night. The Padres, who have the NL's worst record, earned a split of the four-game series. It was just their seventh win in 35 games. Making his fourth start of the season, Loewer (1-1) allowed one run and five hits, struck out two and walked one. It was his first win since May 4, 1999, while with Philadelphia, when he threw a five-hitter against the Padres for his first career shutout, winning 3-0.
Loewer fell out of a deer blind in Louisiana on Jan. 2, 2000, breaking his lower left leg and dislocating his ankle. He was hurt two months after being obtained from Philadelphia with Adam Eaton and Steve Montgomery for Andy Ashby.
Matt Herges pitched the ninth for his third save in five chances.
ROCKIES 4, GIANTS 1: In San Francisco, Shawn Chacon became the first eight-game winner in the National League, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. Greg Norton homered as the Rockies snapped a seven-game road losing streak and avoided being swept by San Francisco for the fourth time in franchise history. The Giants saw their five-game winning streak end, losing for the first time on their 12-game homestand. Both teams begin interleague play Tuesday — the Giants at home against Minnesota and the Rockies at home against Cleveland.