It seems like the only way we can pick up some games on the Tigers is when we play more games, and that’s what happened here. Although this time around, the Tigers dropped two of three so now we’re only a single game back.
On Monday, the White Sox were held to two hits, and one of them was a solo shot by Jermaine Dye. That was it. In the meantime, Freddy Garcia got knocked around and he took the loss. Brandon McCarthy also got hit hard and he gave up two solo homeruns in his one inning of work. Dye had both of the hits.
Then Tuesday, we turned things around. Jose Contreras won his 17th in a row and the Sox blew out the Orioles 13-0. Juan Uribe hit his 11th homeruns and he drove in five runs and Paul Konerko hit homerun number 21 and had three RBIs. Contreras gave up six hits in 6 2/3 shutout innings.
Wednedsday was the closest game. The White Sox scored four in the first then didn’t score again. The Orioles scored one in the seventh then they got to Bobby Jenks and tagged him for one in the ninth, but he pitched out of the jam and earned his 26th save of the season. Jon Garland appears to be turning things around and he gave up one run on six hits in 7 1/3 innings. Jim Thome and Dye both had two hits and a run.
Yesterday, Javier Vazquez picked up a cheap win because the offense did their job. Vazquez gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits and one walk in only 5 1/3 innings. The Orioles made things interesting by scoring three in the ninth but Matt Thorton got the final batter out to earn his first save of the season. Jim Thome had a monster game. He hit two homeruns and drove in six runs. Jermaine Dye went deep and had three RBIs and all star catcher A.J. Pierzynski hit his sixth homerun of the season.
The White Sox host Boston heading into the break, and they’ve been hot. It’d be nice if the Tigers laid down for the Mariners and the White Sox were in first place heading into the break but I’ll take being a game back.
