White Sox: ‘No excuse' for Adam Eaton's lack of hustle on hit

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MINNEAPOLIS -- Instant replay gave Adam Eaton and extra 2 minutes, 8 seconds to reflect upon a base-running mistake on Wednesday afternoon.

Instead of running hard out of the batter’s box, Eaton stopped twice en route to first base in the fifth inning as the White Sox lost to the Minnesota Twins 6-1 at Target Field.

Believing Twins shortstop Eduardo Nunez snagged his two-out line drive, Eaton nearly beat the throw to first despite two pauses as it pulled first baseman Kennys Vargas off the bases. Replay officials ultimately determined Eaton was out as first-base umpire Jim Wolf originally called.

An inning later, White Sox manager Robin Ventura could be seen talking to Eaton in the White Sox dugout.

[SHOP: Gear up, White Sox fans!]

Afterward, Ventura felt the matter had already been settled.

“We just know we want to play with effort and continue and play the whole thing out,” Ventura said. “He knows he made a mistake.

“That’s right up his alley. He knows he made a mistake.”

[MORE: Sale, White Sox stumble in loss to Twins]

Eaton has developed a reputation as a guy who always plays as if his hair is on fire since he joined the White Sox. Hustle and effort have never been in question when it comes to Eaton, who signed a five-year, $23.5-million extension in March. Though he thought Nunez caught the ball, Eaton knows effort is one of the reasons he’s in the majors.

“To lighten the mood I had a Sean Casey moment to be honest with you -- thought he caught it twice,” Eaton said. “Thought the shortstop caught it and thought Vargas caught it at first.

“That said I need to run every ball out. Unfortunate chain of events. I’ve done a good job running things out and playing hard. I have to run every ball out and there is no excuse. No play is over until the guys are walking off the field. That should be the kind of player I am. A guy who doesn’t finish and runs through bag on ball that’s hit back to pitcher on a line. That’s my fault.”

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