Renteria focuses on process as White Sox hover near .500

After notching consecutive walk-off victories midway through a nine-game homestand, the Chicago White Sox absorbed a lopsided loss to the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

The 6-1 setback thwarted Chicago's bid to reach the .500 mark, but White Sox manager Rick Renteria claims he wouldn't know much about that. Whether it's before Saturday's game against the Red Sox or any other time during the season, Renteria insists he never can recite his club's record.

"I know that when you look at the record, everybody looks at the record, fans look at the records," Renteria said. "Everybody feels some type of emotion, positively or negatively, through the record. I can only deal with what I see between the lines, and at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, we're going to be what we're going to be.

"What I'm more concerned about is how are we going about preparing, playing the game, if we're being efficient, if we're playing the game cleanly, are we taking advantage of situations? I look at all the other stuff. I think if we do everything we're supposed to on a consistent basis, we're going to give ourselves a chance to win a ballgame on a daily basis, and it's very difficult to win a Major League ballgame."

Chicago has victories in 14 of its first 30 games, including five of seven on the homestand to date. After struggling out of the gate, the White Sox have regrouped lately behind hot hitting from shortstop Tim Anderson and first baseman/designated hitter Jose Abreu, as well as a resilient pitching staff.

"The guys have been playing," Renteria said. "They don't quit. You've got to give them all credit for picking up the slack a little bit. I think our bullpen has been working its rear end off, and the starting pitching has been trying to do its job, as well. ... And so, we'll continue to make adjustments as we need to. We're really happy with the way the guys continue to plug away. That's all you can do. I don't think we're unique in that situation. With most clubs, things happen. You keep grinding."

Left-hander Manny Banuelos, who is set to start for the White Sox on Saturday, has worked to seize his own opportunity. Once a long reliever that was thrust into the starting rotation via injuries to other teammates, Banuelos (2-0, 2.70 ERA) on Monday earned his first win as a starter since 2015, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings against Baltimore. Banuelos has never faced Boston.

Fellow southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez (2-2, 6.16 ERA) will look to rebound from his last start, when he allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Oakland on Monday. He's 1-0 in three appearances against Chicago, all starts.

In losing Friday's game, the White Sox were unable to secure their third three-game winning streak of the season. In 2018, the White Sox didn't accomplish that feat until the first week of August.

The Red Sox lead the all-time series with the White Sox 986-944, including a 62-57 mark at Guaranteed Rate Field.

--Field Level Media