CHICAGO — Tim Wakefield quickly went from the brink of a milestone to bitter disappointment. After he carried a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning, Wakefield allowed a game-tying run in the sixth and then a two-run homer to White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski in the seventh.

And so, instead of discussing his 200th career victory, the 44-year-old instead remained stuck on 199 W’s, while seeing his loss total climb to 176, on a night when the Red Sox offense could muster little against Chicago starter Gavin Floyd in a 3-1 loss.

The sudden reversal of Wakefield’s night represented a noteworthy pattern. The knuckleballer entered the night having allowed opponents to hit .365 with a 1.143 OPS on pitches 76-100. He allowed all three of his runs in that very stage of the game on Friday, a suggestion that he may tire more easily now, at age 44, than he did in past years.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE RED SOX

–A night that appeared to be shaping up as one of the more memorable ones in Wakefield’s career took a sudden turn when the White Sox manufactured a run in the sixth and then plated two more in the seventh on an A.J. Pierzynski home run to deep right center. Wakefield has now allowed five homers in his last three starts.

–Josh Reddick, whose improved plate discipline had been a central element in his terrific performance, chased breaking pitches out of the strike zone en route to an 0-for-3 night in which he punched out twice. Reddick is now 1-for-12 with six strikeouts (and no walks) in his last four games, with opposing teams content to work him away and make him expand the strike zone.

–The Red Sox lineup did nothing. For just the second time this year, the team had five or fewer baserunners, mustering just three hits and two walks on the night.

–Dustin Pedroia went 0-for-4, as his 25-game hitting streak — a record for a Red Sox second baseman — came to an end.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE RED SOX

–On another night, Wakefield would have pitched well enough for the victory. He notched his sixth quality start of the year (in his 14th outing) in working seven innings and allowing three runs on just three hits, striking out five and walking two.

–Jarrod Saltalamacchia continued to provide some serious thump to the Red Sox from the catching position, ripping a solo homer to right field against White Sox starter Gavin Floyd for his ninth homer of the year. Sox catchers now have 15 homers this year, second most among AL teams. Saltalamacchia has been particularly formidable against right-handers. The switch-hitter