Sale (14-6) took the loss after lasting just three innings Thursday in Cleveland, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Sale ran into trouble in the second inning, allowing four runs on four singles, a walk and an error before finally escaping thanks to a double play. His struggles continued in the third, as Cleveland tacked on three more runs. The lanky left-hander has faded down the stretch in previous seasons and appears to be going through similar struggles despite changing the color of his Sox this past offseason. Sale's now allowed 18 earned runs in 30 innings over his past five starts, raising his season ERA from 2.37 to 2.88. He'll hope to bounce back Tuesday in Toronto.