Konerko connects at bat, in field

As if Paul Konerko hadn't done enough with his tie-breaking two-run home run off Tim Wakefield in the top of the sixth, the big first baseman even flashed some leather in the eighth, robbing Trot Nixon of a potential leadoff single with a diving stop to his right, helping the White Sox rub out the Red Sox, 5-3, to clinch their Division Series in three games.

Both of Konerko's plays were extremely timely. The homer came after David Ortiz had stood in disbelief at home plate after his long fly ball to center was caught by Aaron Rowand on the warning track in the bottom of the fifth, leaving the score 2-2.

Wakefield walked Jermaine Dye to start the sixth, setting the stage for Konerko.

''I think they were close," Konerko said of the Red Sox. ''I think they were beating on our door, then [Ortiz] came close again. I didn't sense necessarily any tightness for them. We knew what was coming. We know they're a loose group. I didn't sense any panic on their part by any means. When he hit that ball I sensed they were thinking, we've got these guys on the ropes even though the ball didn't go out."

From the ropes, Konerko put Boston's backs against the wall.

''[Dye] had a heck of an at-bat in front of me to get on base," Konerko said. ''I was just trying to let them come to me and not try to do too much. I just tried to stay up tall and let it come to me and swing hard in case I hit it."

On his diving stop in the eighth, Konerko said he was guarding the line to prevent a double.

''That ball was flying right at me and it was to the right, and I got a real good quick step on it for once and made the play," he said.

Konerko, who spent the first 11 years of his life in Rhode Island and Connecticut, had been stressing to his teammates that it was imperative the White Sox put the Red Sox away.

''We didn't want to give the ball to [Curt] Schilling [for Game 4]," Konerko said. ''We've seen his act."

Garland next?

Jon Garland was scheduled to be the Game 4 starter, but it seems Ozzie Guillen is likely to call on him for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees or Angels.

Garland posted his 16th win Aug. 7, but managed only two wins the rest of the way. Asked what plagued him during August and September, Garland said, ''Making bad pitches. When you're on the mound, that's what it comes down to, making quality pitches. If you make mistakes, the hitters will capitalize."

''We're going to use him as quickly as we can," Guillen said.

Lip service

Guillen spent much of the sixth inning jawing at home plate umpire Mark Wegner, who called some close pitches to Bill Mueller and John Olerud balls; both drew walks to load the bases. At one point, Wegner took off his mask and shouted back at Guillen. ''I've only been thrown out four times in my career, not my managing career," Guillen said. ''If I get tossed from the game, I think I let the team down. If a manager is not there in a playoff game I think you lose the respect of your team. I need my players and my players need me." . . . The White Sox employed one of the deepest shifts on Ortiz this season with both second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and shortstop Juan Uribe positioned in short right field. The shift paid off in the first when Ortiz popped a soft liner to third baseman Joe Crede, who was positioned near second base.