Derek Holland wanted to show his teammates he's prepared to pitch important games down the stretch.
Instead, the Chicago White Sox knocked him out after 3 1-3 innings en route to a 10-0 drubbing of the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Holland gave up five runs on eight hits, including a two-run homer in the third. He was burned by a pair of two-out walks later in the inning.
Holland (11-5) lost for the first time in five decisions since the All-Star break.
"I thought I was pretty pathetic," he said. "I came out and had good stuff in the first two innings, then the third inning things just kind of fell apart."
Brent Lillibridge followed Juan Pierre's leadoff single with a 400-foot shot to give the White Sox a 2-0 advantage.
After walking Alexei Ramirez and Tyler Flowers with two outs, Alejandro De Aza lined a 3-2 pitch off of Holland into the left-center field gap to chase them home.
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"I know I'm a better pitcher than that to let two-out walks to kill me," he said. "I'm trying to do everything I can to show these guys I belong up here, and that was just not a good case right there."
Holland allowed singles to two of the first three batters in the fourth before manager Ron Washington pulled him.
Scott Feldman didn't fare much better in relief, also yielding eight runs on five hits. He pitched the final 4 2-3, essentially jumping on the grenade for a bullpen that needed the rest."
We needed him to do exactly what he did," Washington said. "He was running out of gas but I'm glad he got that final out."
Gavin Floyd (11-10) coasted with a big lead. He allowed just three hits, struck out six and walked one. He left after giving up a leadoff hit in the eighth.
Chicago took two of three from the AL-West leading Rangers and finished a nine-game homestand at 5-4. The White Sox had their first winning homestand since June 3-12.
The Rangers have dropped three of four after winning the first six games on their 10-game road trip.
"We had a good road trip," Washington said. "Didn't end the way we wanted it to end, but we had a good road trip. That's a pretty good team over there, too. Their record may not show it, but there's days they can go out there and play baseball as well as anybody, and today they played better than we did."
Gordon Beckham broke an 0-for-14 slump with a single in the fourth and Lillibridge chased Holland with a single. Paul Konerko greeted Feldman with an RBI single, leaving him one hit shy of 2,000 for his career.Pierre added a two-run single with the bases loaded off Feldman in the fifth for a 7-0 lead.
Alex Rios homered in the eighth.
Josh Hamilton was given the day off by manager Ron Washington, despite being 6 for 10 lifetime against Floyd. Hamilton is hitting .173 in day games this year and .339 at night.
Floyd pitched around an error by Lillibridge in the second inning. Floyd had Mike Napoli picked off, but Lillibridge missed Floyd's throw at first. The ball bounced off the camera well fence and Napoli went into third. Floyd stranded Napoli at third by striking out Mitch Moreland and Yorvit Torrealba.
Along with giving up a two-run home run to Rios in the eighth, Feldman gave up an RBI single to De Aza.
Lillibridge's homer was the super-utility's 11th of the year, matching the total of Adam Dunn, who Lillibridge has been playing in favor of quite often recently.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Lillibridge has also had 197 fewer at-bats.
"I'm more impressed (with) the way he helps us every time we need him," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Right field, infield, and first base now... desperate at first base since (Paul Konerko) is not there. With left-handed pitchers he's doing a tremendous job."
NOTES: After an off-day Monday, the White Sox begin a five-game road trip against the Angels on Tuesday. LHP Mark Buehrle is scheduled to start for the White Sox. Buehrle is 3-1 with a 2.29 ERA in his last five starts. ... The Rangers begin a four-game series against the Red Sox on Monday. LHP C.J. Wilson, Monday's scheduled starter, is 5-1 with a 3.99 ERA in 12 starts at home this season. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre (left hamstring) will see Dr. Keith Meister on Monday. Texas hopes he will be cleared to resume running the bases.
