"The waiting game continues for the White Sox, who failed to get over the .500 mark and haven't embarked on that long winning streak they've talked about.

Jake Peavy allowed two big hits to the bottom of the Royals' order, and the offense failed to produce a clutch hit Tuesday night in the final six innings of a 5-3 loss that kept the Sox 3½ games behind the Indians in the American League Central.

"We're so unpredictable," manager Ozzie Guillen said after the Sox (43-44) fell to 10-33 in games in which they scored three runs or fewer. "I can't remember the last time we scored a lot of runs. I only remember a couple of games — Opening Day and in Boston (May 30), when we beat the (heck) out of the pitcher (Jon Lester).

"But right now we struggle to get big hits. We had what, 11 hits?"

Actually, it was 13 Tuesday.

"And we only scored three runs, and one by the home run (by Paul Konerko)," Guillen said. "We're struggle with people on base, and like I preach, we have to get better than that. We need big hits. In the AL you need big hits in the clutch, or you're not going to win games. The pitching staffs are so good in the AL you got to go out there and get those runs. At the end of the day, you're going to need it."

Using a tweaked lineup, the Sox were 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Brent Lillibridge, starting in place of Alex Rios in center field, struck out four times."