Black Sox Blog

The White Sox couldn’t wrap up the sweep, but two wins in a three game series is never something to scoff at.  With the Tigers struggling, the White Sox are now 4 1/2 back and only a half game ahead of the Twins.

The White Sox really got the bats going on Tuesday.  Jermaine Dye hit homerun number 39 and he drove in four runs in the 12-9 win.  Joe Crede went four for five with two RBIs and five different White Sox scored twice.  Freddy Garcia was hardly stellar but he improved to 13-8. 

Yesterday’s game was a whole lot closer but the White Sox pulled it out.  The White did most of their damage in the eighth.  Down 4-2, Tad Iguchi hit a two run homerun to tie the game and then Jim Thome singled home Jermaine Dye for the go ahead run.  Dye finished the game with three hits and two runs in the 5-4 win.  Jon Garland picked up win number 16 and he gave up four runs on nine hits and two walks with four strikeouts in eight innings.  Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth and saved his 38th game of the season.

Today, the White Sox laid an egg.  Matt Thornton gave up a run in the eighth that eventually sent the game into extra frames.  Then Brandon McCarthy gave up two runs in the tenth and he took the loss.  A.J. Pierzynski homered and drove in two runs in the 5-3 loss.

Next up is three against the Royals.  It’s now or never and we have to make some head way while we have these easy teams.

August 31, 1906 at Cleveland
White Sox 5, Naps 4  (71-46)

The White Sox edged the Naps today after almost blowing a big lead.  Up 4-1, Nick Altrock gave up three runs in the eighth to tie it up.  Fortunately the Sox put a run on the board in the ninth to win it.  Pattsy Dougherty led off with a walk and he moved to third on Billy Sullivan’s single.  Lee Tannehill was hit by a pitch to load the bases up and then Ed Rohe knocked home Doughtery with a sac. fly.

Altrock picked up the win despite blowing the lead.  He gave up four runs on eleven hits in the game.

August 29, 1906 at Columbia Park
Athletics 4, White Sox 3  (70-46)

This time it was the A’s who won a rain shortened game.  After only five innings, the game was called and the A’s finished just ahead of the White Sox, 4-3.

Ed Walsh got the start again and this time he wasn’t nearly as effective.  He gave up four runs on five hits and he struck out six.

The White Sox scored their three runs despite getting only a single hit.  They did draw three walks though.  Ed Hahn had the only hit and he also scored a run.

This is a big week coming up.  You wouldn’t think it looking at who they’re playing (Tampa Bay then Kansas City) but this is about as easy as it gets.  If the White Sox aren’t back in the lead for the Wild Card this time next week, there could be some trouble.

Friday had one of two very tough losses.  Javier Vazquez had a pretty good start before the pen starting blowing things.  The big blow came off of David Riske.  He was only credited with one earned run, but he gave up the three run shot to Torii Hunter that gave the Twins the lead.  Mike MacDougal then lost it in the ninth.  Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski both homered in the 5-4 loss.

Yesterday, Jermaine Dye came up with the huge hit.  His two run homerun in the ninth inning tied it up.  If only there was one more guy on base, because the White Sox eventually lost it 8-7 in the eleventh.  Jose Contreras was bounced in the third inning so the fact that we were even in this game is a good thing.  Dye hit his 39th and Konerko hit his 29th.

Finally the White Sox got the win today.  Mark Buehrle was en fuego and he gave up only a single run in 7 1/3 innings.  Joe Crede hit his 28th homerun and A.J. Pierzynski hit a two run shot in the 7-1 win.

Like I said at the beginning, this week is huge.

August 27, 1906 at Philadelphia
White Sox 1, Athletics 0  (70-45)

Ed Walsh had one of his best outings of the year with a one hit shutout.  He struck out nine in a six inning rain shortened game, which made the nine strikeouts even that much more incredible.

Ed Hahn scored the one run for the White Sox.  Billy Sullivan had two of the White Sox four hits.

August 25, 1906 at American League Park

Senators 5, White Sox 4  (69-44)

The White Sox historic nineteen game winning streak came to an end today in the first game of a double header with the Senators.  The Nationals came from behind and scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to top the White Sox.

Ed Walsh took the loss in relief of Frank Smith.  Walsh was credited with all three runs in the ninth after he picked things up in the seventh inning.  Lee Tannehill scored two runs and FranK Isbell had two hits and a run.

August 25, 1906 at American League Park
Senators 4, White Sox 3  (69-45)

After three weeks of winning, the White Sox lost two games in one day against the Senators.  The White Sox had a 3-1 lead in this one, but the Senators came back and scored single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to take the lead.

Doc White picked up the loss.  He gave up four runs on six hits.  Ed Hahn scored twice and Fielder Jones and Frank Isbell each had two hits.

It’s funny how your perspective changes.  Heading into the series, I would have said it was imperative that the White Sox take three of four.  When they then proceeded to drop the first two, I was then more then happy for a two-two split.  Regardless, the White Sox are back to a 5 1/2 game deficit, right where they started the series, and they’ll be in first place for the Wild Card regardless of whether the Twins win or lose tonight.

Not that long ago, Jose Contreras had the best start of the season against the Tigers in Chicago.  On Monday, he was knocked around pretty bad and Justin Verlander held the White Sox bats in check.  Contreras gave up seven runs on eight hits in only five innings and the only run that the White Sox could get in the 7-1 loss was a solo homerun by Jermaine Dye.

Tuesday’s game wasn’t much better.  Kenny Rogers and Fernando Rodney held the White Sox to five hits in a shutout.  Mark Buehrle was pretty good but he took the loss.  He gave up four runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Joe Crede was one of our sparks yesterday and he got the White Sox back on track.  He homered in the second inning to break a 3-3 tie then he homered again in the seventh to give the White Sox an insurance run.  He’s now up to 27 on the season and when he gets to 30, I’ll feel redeemed.  The downside to this game was Jim Thome hurt his hamstring so we’ll see when he’ll be able to get back into the lineup.  Freddy Garcia wasn’t exactly great, but he improved to 12-8 on the season.

Today’s game was actually kind of fun.  Jon Garland pitched a six hit shutout to give the White Sox pen a rest and the bats put up 10 runs.  Jermaine Dye went yard twice and he drove in three runs and Juan Uribe hit a three run homerun.

Things don’t get any less huge this weekend.  The White Sox play three against the Twins so they can’t let up now.  The wild card lead is at stake this weekend.

August 23, 1906 at American League Park

White Sox 4, Senators 1  (69-43)

The White Sox won a historic nineteenth straight game over the Washington Senators.  They broke the former record of eighteen straight wins held by the New York Giants in 1904.

Roy Patterson held the Senators in check.  He gave up one run on seven hits with four strikeouts.  On offense, Frank Isbell had the big game.  He had three hits and scored a run.

August 22, 1906 at Hilltop Park

White Sox 6, Highlanders 1  (67-43)

Ed Walsh pitched the White Sox to their seventeenth straight win.  He gave up only a single run on seven hits and two walks.

Fielder Jones scored twice despite not getting a hit.  Billy Sullivan had two hits and a run.

August 22, 1906 at Hilltop Park

White Sox 11, Highlanders 6  (68-43)

The White Sox finished a sweep of both their series with the Highlanders and their double header with eleven runs on offense.  Ed Hahn and Fielder Jones led the way and they each scored three times.

Frank Owen was hit hard but he walked away with the win.  He gave up six runs on nine hits and four walks.  The win was the White Sox eighteenth in a row.

Sometime the goal isn’t to win, it’s to lose less.  The White Sox dropped two of three to the Twins and they’re causing us problems by staying in the mix.  The good news is, the Tigers are faltering, so at the end of the day, there could be room for both of us.  Needless to say, this is a huge series this week.

Friday’s game was kind of ugly.  The White Sox could never get on track and while they tied it at 3-3 in the sixth, the Twins didn’t let that sit for long.  Jermaine Dye hit homerun number 33 and he drove in two runs.  FreddY Garcia took the loss and gave up five runs on ten hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.  Final was 7-3.

On Friday, the White Sox ran into Johan Santana.  Between that a Twins four run third inning, the White Sox couldn’t muster a come back.  Javier Vazquez dropped to 11-8 and in seven mediocre innings.  Tad Iguchi had two hits and an RBI.

Saturday’s win was bigger then it might have appeared.  Had we lost that game, we would be on the outside looking at the Wild Card.  Garland gave up only one unearned run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings.  Rob Mackowiak homered while Jim Thome doubled twice and scored twice.

Yesterday, the White Sox ran into Johan Santana.  Between that a Twins four run third inning, the White Sox couldn’t muster a come back.  Javier Vazquez dropped to 11-8 and in seven mediocre innings.  Tad Iguchi had two hits and an RBI.

The Tigers still have a nice lead, so a 2-2 split won’t cut it here.  If we’re going to make some progress, we need three of four.  And hopefully while we do that, the Twins hit the skids as well and give us some breathing room.

August 20, 1906 at Hilltop Park

White Sox 4, Highlanders 1  (66-43)

Doc White gave up only five hits and let one Highlander scored in the White Sox sixteenth straight win.  White walked three and struck out three and the only run off of him came in the ninth inning.

Pattsy Doughtery homered and singled in the win.  The White Sox were held to five hits, but they made them count. 

August 18, 1906 at Hilltop Park
White Sox 10, Highlanders 0  (65-43)

The White Sox blew out the Highlanders for their fifteenth straight win.  The game was actually close most of the game and was 1-0 heading into the ninth inning when the White Sox scored nine runs in the final frame to put the game away.

Billy Sullivan and Lee Tannehill both scored two runs.  Frank Isbell was the only White Sox that didn’t get a hit, and Ed Walsh led the way with three.  Walsh threw a five hit shutout in which he struck out three.

August 17, 1906 at Huntington Avenue Grounds
White Sox 4, Pilgrims 3  (64-43)

The White Sox continued their incredible run in a come from behind win over the Boston Pilgrims.  It was the White Sox fourteenth straight win.  The White Sox were down 3-2 then scored a single run in the seventh then won it with a walk off RBI single by Lee Tannehill.

Jiggs Donahue had two hits and he scored twice in the one run game.  Billy Sullivan scored the winning run.  He singled with two outs and stole second base to put himself into a position to win the game.  Doc White gave up three runs on nine hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

We really could have done better then this.  The White Sox have a two game lead over the Twins and they’re six down (Tigers are winning in the fourth) from the Tigers and they play each of those teams over the next two series.  This is a very big stretch of seven games.

Monday was how the whole series should have went.  The White Sox scored eight runs in the fourth inning to bust the game wide open.  Jim Thome and Brian Anderson both homered. Nine different White Sox scored runs in the 12-2 win.  Jon Garland also threw a good game.  He gave up one run on seven hits in seven innings in the win.

Then it went downhill.  The Royals edged the White Sox on Tuesday behind a strong outing by Runelvys Hernandez.  Then yesterday, the Royals smacked around Jose Contreras.  The White Sox turned things around today though.

The first four runs of the game were all on solo homeruns, two a piece for the Royals and White Sox.  Paul Konerko doubled home Scott Podsednik in the eighth to give the White Sox a 5-3 lead.   They’d end up needing that run because Bobby Jenks got into trouble in the ninth inning.  He gave up a run but pitched out of his own jam and picked up the save.

Three against the Twins beginning tomorrow.  It’ll be Freddy Garcia against Boof Bonser.

August 16, 1906 at Huntington Avenue Grounds
White Sox 9, Pilgrims 4  (63-43)

The White Sox just seemed to be doing everything right.  Mostly their pitching has carried them and this game marked the first time since July 25, 1906 that the White Sox gave up four runs in a start.  Fortunately, the White Sox brought their bats with them to this game as the more then doubled up the Pilgrims.

Billy Sullivan had a huge game.  He had three hits, including a homerun and he scored twice.  Ed Hahn also had three hits with a triple with a run.  Nick Altrock gave up four runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

August 15, 1906 at Huntington Avenue Grounds
White Sox 6, Pilgrims 0  (62-43)

The White Sox won their twelth straight game behind yet another shutout by the White Sox pitching staff.  This time it was Ed Walsh who held the Pilgrims scoreless on only four hits.

Frank Isbell singled, scored two runs and stole a base in the win.  Jiggs Donahue had three hits.

Man was this huge.  Huge.

Jose Contreras made the Tigers look silly on Friday.  He picked up his first career complete game shutout and struck out five.  Contreras had been struggling but he definitely picked things up here in this game.  He needed only 101 pitches to get the job done too.  Jim Thome and A.J. Pierzynski both homered and drove in two runs in the 5-0 lead.

Three errors and four unearned runs won this one for the White Sox.  Mark Buehrle got the job done as well.  If you take away a botched double play attempt, he might have held the Tigers scoreless.  He struck out seven in six innings before letting the bullpen do it’s job.  Brian Anderson had two RBIs in the 4-3 win.

The White Sox finished things up today and it was Alex Cintron who burned the Tigers yet again.  In an earlier series, he had a couple of big hits and his three run double in the second inning was huge.  Freddy Garcia threw seven solid innings and he’s now 11-7.  Jermaine Dye hit homerun number 31 in the 7-3 win.

Next up is the Royals for four.  The Tigers play the Red Sox so it’d be nice to pick away at this lead a little more.  Just as important, the Sox still have a two game lead for the Wild Card, so we always have that to fall back on.

August 13, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 0, Highlanders 0  (61-43)

The White Sox winning streak didn’t come to an end, but neither was it extended after they and the Highlanders nine innings without a single player crossing the plate.  The game was called because the Highlander had to catch their train.

Doc White pitched the equivalent of a three hit shutout, but without the run support, he walked away with nothing.  George Davis singled twice in the game in four at bats.

August 12, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 3, Highlanders 0  (61-43)

The White Sox amazing winning streak continued behind a six hit shutout by Ed Walsh.  Walsh walked one and struck out seven in the win.

Walsh helped out his cause when he singled and scored a run.  Fielder Jones had two hits and a run and George Davis also came across the plate in the win.

August 11, 1906 at South Side Park
White sox 8, Highlanders 1  (60-43)

The White Sox won for the tenth straight time in a blowout win over the Highlanders.  Frank Isbell led the way with the bat.  He had a single, a double and two runs.  George Davis also scored twice and Jiggs Donahue had two hits and a run.

Lost in the offensive attack was a very good outing by Frank Owen.  He gave up a single run on six hits and one walk with two strikeouts.

Close games make for exciting games.  Close games also account for elevated blood pressure levels.  This series could have gone either way.  One team could have swept the other with a couple of timely at bats.  Fortunately the White Sox came out on top.

Tuesday had to be the funnest game.  Down 5-4, Paul Konerko hit a lead off homerun in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game up and send it into extra frames.  Then in the eleventh, Jermaine Dye came up huge with a walk off RBI single to end it.  Bobby Jenks went two and two thirds innings in this one and he picked up his third win of the season.  Joe Crede hit his 24th homerun earlier game.

The Yankees jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Wednesday and while the White Sox made a run at a win, they fell just short in a 7-6 loss.  Randy Johnson had things firmly in hand with a no hitter into the sixth but he couldn’t pitch forever, and the Yankees middle relief is a weakness right now.  Joe Crede hit homerun number 25 and Tad Iguchi went yard as well.  Jon Garland, who had been the White Sox best starter of late, got shelled in the loss.

Javier Vazquez was given a four run lead last night and he needed each of those runs and then some.  He improved to 11-6 and he gave up two runs on six hits and six walks with eight strikeouts over five innings.  Brandon McCarthy made things interesting and gave up two runs in the seventh, but the rest of the pen held on for the win.  Tad Iguchi had three hits and Scott Podsednik had two hits and two RBIs.

Next up is a huge three game series with the Tigers.  We’re eight and a half back and even after this weekend, the Sox have two more series against the Tigers.  The bottom line is, the Sox still have a shot at the AL Central, the Sox just have to take care of business this weekend.

August 10, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 2, Highlanders 1  (59-43)

Ed Walsh pitched the White Sox to their ninth straigh win.  Walsh gave up only one run on five hits and while the White Sox scored only two runs, it was good enough for the win.

Bill O’Neill had two hits in the contest and Pattsy Dougherty tripled and scored a run.  The other run was scored by Walsh himself.

August 9, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 3, Athletics 2  (58-43)

The White Sox won their eighth straight game in the series finale against the Athletics.  It was an exciting ten inning thriller.  The A’s tied the game up in the eighth inning but in the bottom of the tenth, the White Sox came through.  Jiggs Donahue tripled with one out, and then George Rohe hit a soft grounder that scored Donahue for the game winner.

Doc White threw all ten innings and gave up two runs on nine hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

August 8, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 1, Athletics 0  (57-43)

The White Sox edged the Athletics in ten innings to win their seventh straight game, a season high winning streak.  Neither team scored until the top of the tenth when George Davis led off with a walk.  Jiggs Donahue failed to move him over but then Patsy Dougherty drove Davis home with a triple.

Roy Patterson threw ten shutout innings and gave up a mere five hits.  He walked two and struck out three.

August 7, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 4, Athletics 0  (56-43)

Ed Walsh pitched a three hit shutout in the White Sox sixth straight win.  The six game winning streak tied the White Sox season best of the season.

George Davis had two hits and a run.  Walsh struck out five and had the only extra basehit of the game, which was a double.

I guess I know how Indians’ fans felt last year.  Right now, no matter how well we do, we can’t make up any ground in the standings.  The Tigers swept the Indians, so even though the Sox won their series this weekend, they’re still further away then when we started.  Depending on how this coming weekend series with the Tigers goes, it might not even be worth looking at anything other then the Wild Card standing from her on out.

Toronto spotted Roy Halladay three runs on Friday, and that’s usually enough.  Fortunately the White Sox made Halladay look very mortal and tagged him for five runs in six innings.  A.J. Pierzynski hit homerun number nine and and Jim Thome and Paul Konerko had three hits a piece.  Jon Garand improved to 12-3 and he now has his ERA under five.  He gave up three runs on eight hits through six innings of work.  Bobby Jenks saved his 30th game of the season despite giving up a run in the ninth.

Javier Vazquez was awesome yesterday.  He struck out thirteen over eight innings and he gave up only one run on two hits.  He had really been struggling later in the game, so it was nice to see him throw over 100 pitches and not break down.  Paul Konerko had four RBIs in the 7-1 win and Tad Iguchi scored three times.

Not sure what happened today.  A.J. Burnett yielded three early runs but Jose Contreras gave up that and then some.  He dropped to 10-4 and Jim Thome went two for three with an RBI and two runs in the 7-3 loss.

The Tigers go against the Twins this week while the White Sox have and off week.  The Angels come to town for one makeup game, then the Yankees roll in on Tuesday.  Needless to say, this is a huge series with regards to the Wild Card.  The Yankees may be ahead in the AL Central, but if they slip, they’ll be back into the Wild Card mix.  Then it’s three against the Tigers.  Needless to say, this is a very, very big week.

August 6, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 7, Athletics 2  (55-43)

The White Sox won their fifth straight game behind some solid hitting by the entire lineup as well as a good outing by Frank Owen.  Owen held the A’s to two runs on seven hits with one strikeout.

Ed Hahn led the way with two singles and two runs.  Frank Isbell had the only extra base hit for the White Sox.  He doubled and scored.

August 5, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 10, Athletics 2  (54-43)

The White Sox made it four straight wins with a blowout over the Athletics.  Patsy Doughtery once again got the job done.  He had three hits and scored three times.  Doc White helped out his own cause with two runs in the win.

White cruised to an easy win.  He gave up two runs on eight hits and two walks.

August 4, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 1 Americans 0  (53-43)

The White Sox won for the sixth time in seven games as they shut out the Americans for the third straight time.  Roy Patterson threw a six hit shutout in which he walked two and struck out one.

The only run in the game came in the bottom of the ninth inning.  Jiggs Donahue led off with a triple and then the red hot Patsy Doughtery singled him home to win the game.

August 3, 1906 at South Side Park
White Sox 4, Americans 0  (52-43)

The White Sox shut out the Americans for the second straight time in the series.  This time, Ed Walsh threw a one hitter as the Sox completely dominated the visitors.  Walsh struch out five and walked three.

Patsy Doughtery was on fire.  He had three hits, including two doubles, and he scored twice.  Fielder Jones doubled and singled in the win.