Don't change him

The message from a long-time scout watching Michael Bowden tonight is "don't change a thing about him." The scout has also seen Bowden many times in the minors.

"There are those of us who feel he might hurt his shoulder with that delivery, but this is the way the kid throws. He feels good throwing that way. He's been successful throwing that way. So leave him alone," said the scout.

Bowden was leading 5-2 after four innings.

After a strong first inning, he's been hit hard at times. He allowed two doubles in the second, one by rookie of the year candidate Alexei Ramirez driving in Chicago's first run. Bowden allowed a leadoff triple to Joe Crede in the third on a ball Jacoby Ellsbury nearly came down with. MVP candidate Carlos Quentin drove him in with a groundout.

In the fourth, after getting the first two batters out, Ramirez singled and Ken Griffey Jr. banged a ground-rule double to right. Bowden bowed his neck and after falling behind 3-1 to Nick Swisher, struck him out on a breaking pitch.

The Sox, who scored three in the first, also got a Jeff Bailey homer to center field in the second inning. Ellsbury also tripled in the inning and came in on Jed Lowrie's sac fly.