Sox Sweep Tribe!

(April 11)

Short Take: It's good to be the King!   

On Wednesday afternoon at Comiskey Park it rained and it poured. It rained weather wise but the Sox offense poured it on Cleveland starter Dave Burba today. The Sox bats scored six runs off Burba in less then four innings!

Cal Eldred got the start for the Sox today, due to a neck injury his start was pushed back 2 days. Cal today went 2 innings before coming out of the game with an injury to his elbow. Before he left he took a little time out of his day to strike out 3 Indians and only allow a rbi single to Juan Gonzalez.

So with Cal on the shelf early the Sox bats needed to come through and they did in a big way. In the bottom of the 2nd the Sox put two runs on the board, Royce Clayton drove in the first run while Tony Graffanino drove in the second run of the inning which scored Carlos Lee.

The Sox offense continued to hammer Burba in the bottom of the 3rd, Jose Valentin took him deep in to the right field seats. Frank Thomas scored on a fielders choice while Paul Konerko scored on a Royce Clayon sacrifice fly. The Sox bats continued in the bottom of the 4th when Paul Konerko doubled off the center field wall which scored Jose Valentin. 

Meanwhile with Cal Eldred out Jerry Manuel called on Sean Lowe to step in and hold the Indians. Sean did just that going 3 innings allowing just 1 hit and 1 walk and most importantly no runs. With Sean mowing down the Indian hitters the Sox offense had a little more in them, as in the bottom of the 5th inning Tony Graffanino who started at 2nd base in place of Ray Durham hit a line drive bullet over the center field wall.

After Graffanino hit his homer the Sox were up 7 to 1. Manuel called on Bob Howry to continue to mow down the Indian hitters. Bob went 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 1. So in the Top of the 8th Manuel called on Antonio Osuna to slam the door on the Indians and complete the sweep. Problem being Osuna was brutal getting just 1 out while allowing 3 runs on 1 walk, 2 runs came on a homer by Juan Gonzalez. Kelly Wunsch came on and finished the 8th inning for Osuna.

In the top of the 9th Manuel called on his closer Keith Foulke to come in and sweep away the Indians. He did just that and more, he had 2 strike outs and also got Indians manager Charlie Manuel ejected for arguing balls and strikes after Roberto Alomar was called out. Foulke got Gonzalez to fly out to end the game and complete the 3 game sweep of the Indians.

With the sweep the Sox are 4 and 1 against the "experts" favorite to win the central.