Sox Commit Regicide

(10-8) SOX 7, (6-13) ROYALS 4

This is the type of game the Sox would have lost in 2006. They trailed the Royals 2-0 thru 5 innings, and it looked like the typical lifeless performance against the Royals that pretty much sunk our season last year.

Maybe things are different this year. The Sox awoke in the 6th inning, and hung 7 runs on the Royale in the final 4 frames to pull away for a 7-4 victory. Paul Konerko broke out of his early season funk in a big way by hitting 2 home runs and knocking in 5 runs, basically picking up the Sox and carrying them to victory in this game.

Bobby Jenks got the save, but looked shaky once again. He allowed 2 hits in the ninth inning, and got an out on a scalding line drive by Alex Gordon before ending the game on a double play. For a while there, it looked like we were headed for disaster on a scale even bigger than the 2 out bottom of the ninth implosion in Detroit on Sunday, but luckily the Sox escaped this time.

The Sox have played a lot of close games this year, and they've leaned really heavily on the bullpen. So far, they've been up to the task. For the Sox to keep winning games into July and August though, they are going to have to have to make it look a little easier, or else they are going to have some very tired arms in the pen later in the season.

Game Scores- Sox: Buehrle 58, KC: Meche 52

TONIGHT-
SOX (Vazquez 2-0, 2.50, 58.3 Avg GS, 55 Last GS)
at ROYALS (Duckworth 0-1, 1.59, 51.5 Avg, 37 Last)
Duckworth had a nice outing his first time out this year, posting a 66 against the Tigers. Last time out he was hammered by the O's though. He's a a journeyman and a 4A pitcher, and the Sox pay Javier Vazquez a lot of $ to beat guys like Brandon Duckworth.

AL CENTRAL ROUNDUP

(9-7) INDIANS 7, (11-8) TWINS 3 (12 INNINGS)

Well I'll be jiggered. The Twins' magical enchanted bullpen was outlasted by the Indians' crap parade that just last week blew a 5 run lead in the 9th inning. I no believe.
Game Scores- Indians: Sowers 48, Twins: Silva 45

Tonight-
Indians (Carmona 0-1, 6.97, 40.0 Avg, 53 Last)
at Twins (Santana 3-1, 3.00, 63.5 Avg, 69 Last)
Yeah, good luck with that Cleveland.

(11-8) TIGERS 9, ANGELS 5

Nobody jumps on you in the early innings like the Tigers do. The White Sox found that out twice this weekend. In this game, they pinned 7 runs on Jered Weaver and the Angels in the first two innings.
Game Scores- Tigers: Maroth 36

Today-
As I type this, the Tigers are getting smashed by the Angels 7-1 in the top of the fifth. Jeremy Bonderman, who has been really good this year (64.0 average GS), has been not so good today, giving up 10 hits thru 4 innings.

Game Score Corner
***********
We had a couple of new high scorers this past weekend, and they are in bold.

1. 94 Mark Buehrle SOX (v. Tex 4/18)

2. 89 Felix Hernandez SEA (at Bos 4/11)

3. 86 Felix Hernandez SEA (v. Oak 4/2)

3. 86 Cole Hamels PHI (at Cin 4/21)

5. 85 Kyle Lohse CIN (at Cubs 4/15)

6. 82 Ben Sheets MIL (v. Lad 4/2)

7. 81 Johan Santana MIN (at SOX 4/8)

7. 81 Kip Wells STL (at Hou 4/8)

7. 81 James Shields TB (v. Cle 4/22)

10. 79 John Maine NYM (at Stl 4/4)