That was the case for Los Angeles Angels ace José Soriano in the Angels 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday for the Angels' ninth loss in 10 games and Soriano's first loss of the season.
Things started sharp as usual for Soriano, striking out the side to start the game and put down the top of the Chicago order, but after that he began to labor.
Colson Montgomery put Chicago on the board in the second inning with a solo home run and Drew Romo added on in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run shot, the first home run of his major league career.
FINAL: White Sox 5, Angels 2 pic.twitter.com/lc7qBJG4c5
Soriano was notably less sharp than usual, missing spots on the edge of the zone that he's usually dominated and lacking control of both his slider and knuckle-curve.
Even in innings that he kept scoreless, Soriano was battling to get there and when he was pulled after just five innings, he had already racked up 97 pitches and allowed six hits, three earned runs and three walks while striking out six.
sit 'em down Sori 😤 pic.twitter.com/vpT4qwGc9Z
He was assessed by trainers before he left the mound in the sixth inning, with particular attention being paid to his neck and back. Soriano was pulled in his last appearance on April 22 by manager Kurt Suzuki out of precaution for his back, so that should be a situation for Angel fans to keep their eyes on.
It was still just a three-run outing for Soriano, but considering the standard he's established for himself this season it stands out as his worse start of the season so far.
The Los Angeles offense didn't do much to pick Soriano up on the other end. Jo Adell drove in Nolan Schanuel with a single in the top of the fourth inning and the Angels went scoreless through most of the game until Josh Lowe sent a solo him run into the right center field seats in the top of the eighth inning for the Angels' second, and final, run of the game.
In his next at-bat, Drew Romo hits his SECOND MLB homer! https://t.co/2plp02pnKX pic.twitter.com/ZufDRj7Jt2
In the meantime, the White Sox scored two more runs, including a second home run by Romo.
No one had a better game than Romo, who hit the first two home runs of his Major League career in the same game and from both sides of the plate, becoming the seventh player in MLB history to do so.
The Angels have one more opportunity to avoid a sweep in Wednesday's game and after that it's back to the Big A, where Los Angeles will hope to have a much better home stand than this past road trip.