Chicago White Sox

White Sox starter Chris Sale wasn't at his best Wednesday night in Minnesota. Sale four earned runs to score, tied for the second-highest total of his season. 

Sale gave up the four runs on eight base hits and two walks over just five innings in defeat. He fell to 5-6 on the year with a 2.69 ERA. He did strike out five in the appearance. Brian Dozier did the most damage with a three-run homer off him in the second inning. 

Sale has been off and on over his last four starts but has been consistently a loser in those outings. He's 0-4 over that stretch with nine runs allowed over 26 1/3 innings with 30 Ks. He's still mowing people down and has 91 Ks over 90 1/3 frames. Sale will look to get back on the winning track when he next takes the ball Tuesday versus the Mets. 

White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez has been an everyday player all season as he's played in 69 of 69 games for Chicago, MLB.com reports Wednesday. Ramirez hasn't missed a game all year, though manager Robin Ventura would like to get him a rest before the All-Star break. 

"I think it'll help," Ventura said. "You would like to, but you can't guarantee that. You'd like to get him a day somewhere in here that you can -- maybe even get in around one of those off-days, so you can make it an extra day. It might not happen, but I think right now if we were able to do it, Gordon [Beckham] would go over to shortstop."

The 31-year-old Ramirez is batting .268 this season with 14 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He's been pretty warm of late with 10 hits in his last 30 at-bats. 

White Sox outfielder Dewayne Wise is having his return from the disabled list delayed due to a nagging rib injury, the Chicago Tribune reports Wednesday. 

Wise has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte since Friday. He went on the shelf with a hamstring injury and is slated to return shortly. 

White Sox manager Robin Ventura feels Dayan Viciedo's three-run triple Monday against the Astros could be exactly what the 24-year-old slugger needs to break out of his prolonged slump. Viciedo is batting .160 in his last 26 games, dropping his season average from .303 to .224.

"It's always good team-wise when you get a big hit, but that one for him, I think, with how his last couple weeks have been going, it's a big one for him just to kind of get that going -- to do something meaningful,"Ventura said, per MLB.com.

Ventura is stressing patience with Viciedo, who he considers to have a high ceiling.

"I think what you're looking at right now, that's not indicative of his talent," Ventura said. "Again, you just continue to understand he is young and it's getting better."

White Sox designated hitter Paul Konerko had a big night at the plate during a 7-5 loss at Minnesota Tuesday.

Konerko went 4 for 4 in the game with a double and his 27th RBI. He also scored a run and is batting .248 on the year after the four-hit effort.

The 37-year-old has an RBI in three of his last four games, but 27 on the year over 230 at-bats. He's struggled, but it was good to see him pick it up in a losing effort Tuesday.