Central issues at hand
White Sox win, still need 2 more
- |
Mark Buehrle gave the White Sox the veteran performance they needed on short rest. Now it's up to a youngster to keep their season going against a familiar foe.
Buehrle pitched seven strong innings and, backed by four double plays, beat the Cleveland Indians, 5-1, yesterday at U.S. Cellular Field to keep Chicago in the race for the American League Central crown.
The White Sox still trail the Twins by a half-game after Minnesota won, meaning they must play a makeup game at home today against Detroit. If the White Sox win that one, Chicago would host a tiebreaker game against the Twins tomorrow for the division title.
Gavin Floyd will take the mound for the White Sox against the Tigers' Freddy Garcia, who won three games for Chicago during the 2005 postseason, including the clinching Game 4 of the World Series against the Houston Astros.
Garcia is also a close friend of White Sox manager and fellow Venezuelan Ozzie Guillen.
"Freddy is not going to go there and just pitch, he's going to try and beat us. I know him real well and he's going to try and show he can still pitch," Guillen said.
"I'm sure the last thing those guys want to do is get on a plane, but they are professionals and if I was them and had to get on a plane and come here, I'm going to make it hurt," added Paul Konerko, who homered yesterday for the fourth time in three games.
"We'd better be ready to play."
The White Sox were ready yesterday.
Coming off a 121-pitch outing, Buehrle (15-12) made his third start on short rest this season and his second in September. He allowed one run and nine hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked one.
Jermaine Dye had a clutch two-run single for the White Sox in the seventh. Chicago scored three runs in the third after Indians third baseman Jamey Carroll made a key error.
Twins 6, Royals 0 - Scott Baker scattered four singles over seven shutout innings, pitching Minnesota past Kansas City at the Metrodome.
Delmon Young's two-run single and Joe Mauer's two-run triple gave Baker (11-4) some extra insurance, and relievers Jose Mijares and Joe Nathan finished the final two innings to give Minnesota an 88-74 record - far exceeding almost every forecast.
Rays 8, Tigers 7 - Ben Zobrist hit a go-ahead single in a four-run eighth and had a solo homer in the 11th, lifting Tampa Bay over Detroit at
Angels 7, Rangers 0 - Los Angeles posted its team-record 100th win, with Joe Saunders pitching six sharp innings and Mike Napoli homering in a win over Texas at Anaheim, Calif.
Blue Jays 10, Orioles 1 - Vernon Wells went 4 for 4, homered twice, and had five RBIs, leading Toronto past Baltimore at Camden Yards.
Mariners 4, Athletics 3 - Ichiro Suzuki had two hits and scored the decisive run as Seattle rallied for a win over Oakland at Safeco Field, ending a pair of forgettable seasons.
