Lowe brings it!

(July 24)

Short take:  Back to .500

After being used as a speed bump by Cleveland last week at Comiskey, our Chicago White Sox have flashed a bit of the championship pedigree back at the Tribe the past two games.  And as for the Tribe, they still exhibit a bit of the mongrel that had them blowing world championships the last half-decade.  A terrific victory for our Sox, 4-1 over the Indians.  We're back to .500!

Sean Lowe was brilliant.  Acquired before the 1999 season for nobody John Ambrose, he has been the glue of the Sox staff for much of the last three seasons.  Long reliever, spot starter, and now a regular in the rotation, the guy does everything short of selling Mexican churros behind third base at Comiskey.

Eight big K's and not a single walk, he kept Cleveland in a funk all night long.  Sox Fans, shall we relive some of Sean's best punch outs?  There was Jim Thome looking foolish to end the fourth inning with a runner at second.  There was Roberto Alomar running the count to 3-0, then striking out on the next three pitches in the sixth.  And there was Jim Thome again in the seventh inning leading off with another strikeout, the third one of the night for him against Lowe.  Yeah, baby!

Cleveland looked awfully foolish wasting two runs which the Sox nailed at the plate.  Kudos to Ray Durham for some great throws.  Ray Ray was sharp at the plate, too.  Leading off in Jerry Manuel's order, Ray doubled and stroked a dinger, accounting for two runs and two rbi's.  

Royce Clayton was positively screwed out of a homerun by the fence atop the left field wall at Jacobs Field.  Ruled a ground rule double, it was precisely this same sort of dinger denied Magglio Ordonez a year ago.  Just like in 2000, the Sox would overcome and crush the Indians anyway.

Keith Foulke earned his 22nd save of the season, bailing Lowe out of a jam in the eighth, too.  Yeah, there was an error committed in the inning, but why quibble?  The Sox pick up a game and keep their faint playoff hopes alive at least one more day.  

Just keep winning!