Levine: Carlos Rodon Is Reminded 1 Pitch Can Change A Game

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The lessons learned as a young baseball player usually determine the ultimate fate and length of his career.

In the case of White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon, here are some words to live by: You don't soil Superman's cape, you don't spit into the Chicago wind and most importantly you don't miss with a fastball to Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

Ortiz clobbered a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give Boston the lead and turn Rodon's outing around on him. The Red Sox went on to a 5-2 win at U.S. Cellular Field, snapping the White Sox's three-game winning streak.

"That is a Hall of Fame player right there," the 23-year-old Rodon said after taking the loss. "I served a cookie up there for him, and he hit it pretty deep. So you tip your cap."

Rodon has alternately looked good at times early in the season and looked like a young pitcher still learning his trade in other moments. After allowing three run on six hits and three walks in six innings, Rodon's now 1-4 on the season.

The Ortiz's long ball was the first home run Rodon has allowed to a left-handed hitter in his brief career.

"You get (Ortiz) up there in that spot, he is tough," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "You just don't like him coming in key situations.(Rodon) paid for it."

While displaying some inconsistency, Rodon has given the White Sox a chance to win in every start he's made save for one. His 4.36 ERA is escalated due to that one awful start in which he gave up five runs in the first inning.

"It has been up and down for him," Ventura said. "He had the one that was a one-inning job. After that, I think he learned something every time out there. There is always something to be gained by it, and he will be better for it."

The team's first-round pick in the 2014 amateur draft, Rodon has moved into the No. 3 spot in the rotation. In honor of his friend John Danks -- who will be released Thursday -- Rodon wrote his former teammate's No. 50 into the dirt before he began his start.

"Johnny is my boy," Rodon said of Danks. "I figured he was watching maybe. I think (Jose Quintana) did it to yesterday in a tribute to Johnny."

Assessing his start to the season, Rodon was critical in his evaluation.

"It's been a little struggle," he said. "Right now I am thinking this game is pretty hard. When you are going good, it seems easy. When it's going bad, it's hard. I will try to get out of this funk and get some wins for this team."

The fastball that Ortiz hit was his 509th career home run, tying him with Gary Sheffield for 25th on the all-time list.

"That was one pitch," Rodon said with regret. "That is the name of the game. Just one pitch changes the game pretty dramatically. That is why people love baseball I guess."

Lesson learned?

"Don't throw a fastball down the middle to Big Papi," Rodon lamented.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.