"The shortcomings of Adam Dunn and Alex Rios confirmed manager Ozzie Guillen's pregame fears Wednesday.

Dunn extended his misery against left-handed pitchers by striking out against Darren OIiver with the tying and winning runs on base in the eighth inning, and Rios failed to deliver game-tying hits in the seventh and ninth innings of the White Sox's 2-1 loss to the Rangers.

"There are too many things (going wrong) that if I start talking, we wouldn't finish," Rios said after his batting average slid to .206. "We've been working on stuff, but sometimes it feels like it's going to start going well but it doesn't."

That has been the case for the Sox, who failed to cut their nine-game deficit to the Indians and wasted seven-plus innings of three-hit ball by Gavin Floyd against a formidable Rangers lineup.

The Sox wasted or minimized chances in the final three innings after being held to two hits through the first six by C.J. Wilson, with the failed opportunities by Dunn and Rios becoming more magnified.

"I don't want to put heat on any player, but if Rios and Dunn don't produce or don't hit the way we think they can hit, it's going to be hard," Guillen said before the game. "It's going to be hard for the rest of the players."

Despite being hitless in 31 previous at-bats against left-handers, Dunn was sent up to pinch-hit for rookie Brent Morel with one out in the eighth with runners on first and third. Texas anticipated the move and countered with Oliver to pitch to Dunn, who struck out for the 61st time this season."