PHOENIX — Nicky Lopez put the Chicago White Sox ahead early Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks with an RBI single to left field in the second inning at Chase Field.
The lead didn’t last long.
Tucker Barnhart drove in two with a single in the bottom of the second. The Diamondbacks led the rest of the way, topping the Sox 7-1 in front of 23,700.
It’s the major-league-leading 26th time this season the Sox have lost after being ahead.
Recently, the tide has turned against the Sox late — including walk-off losses on Monday and Wednesday against the Mariners in Seattle. That wasn’t the case Friday in the series opener against the Diamondbacks.
The hosts broke the game open with a three-run fourth that included a solo home run from Eugenio Suárez. By the time the inning ended, the Sox found themselves in a 6-1 hole.
“There’s going to be games like this,” manager Pedro Grifol said.
Starter Chris Flexen allowed six runs (four earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.
“That was a rough one,” Flexen said. “I thought my stuff was terrible. Terrible execution, especially in big moments. That’s one I’ll try to flush.”
Grifol said when Flexen is most effective, he’s displaying a “good four-pitch mix.”
“He started off that way (Friday),” Grifol said. “It just seemed like when he made a mistake today, they were able to capitalize on it. And he got behind a couple of guys, got behind Suárez 3-0, got behind a couple of guys. These guys are pretty good hitters over there. They’re dangerous.
“And there are some balls that found holes, too. One a 4-3 hole, one right over (first baseman Andrew Vaughn’s) glove. It was just one of those days.”
Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson allowed one run on six hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked one.
“He pounded the strike zone, he pitched up in the zone, we chased a little bit up there,” Grifol said.
Lopez, Paul DeJong and Andrew Benintendi each had two hits in the loss. Tommy Pham went 1-for-4 with a single in his return from the injured list.
“Our guys battled, we had three guys with a couple of hits, Nicky had a pretty good day, (Benintendi) swung the bat well, DeJong swung the bat,” Grifol said. “It was great to see Tommy in there and leading off the game with a base hit.
“But (Nelson) just moved it around, and it’s pretty good stuff. It’s mid-90s and he knows how to give it a little bit of ride up at the top (of the zone).”
The Sox have lost 23 of their last 27. They’re 6-30 on the road — the worst mark away from home in the majors. And the Sox are off to the worst 71-game start in franchise history at 18-53 (previously 23-48 in 1929, 1934 and 1948).
“That’s on me,” Flexen said of Friday’s outcome. “Bad execution. Dug us a hole. (We) got eight hits, guys are swinging it. Good job by (reliever Michael) Soroka to bridge that gap, (reliever Jared) Shuster to lock it down, but that was on me.”
