Missing: Sox Offense

(July 31)

Short take:  Can anyone swing a bat?

Losing this game was like drowning in 3 inches of water.  The mighty Kansas City Royals squeaked out a 2-1 extra-inning victory over our Sox.  They could have played ten more innings and the Sox still might not have scored.

Jon Garland made his return to the rotation and didn't disappoint.  He made one mistake to Mike Sweeney in the second inning for a solo homerun.  He went six full innings but left with only a no decision because the most the Sox pop-gun offense could manage was one lousy run.  Kudos to Ray Durham for being the only Sox player who managed to cross homeplate while wearing a White Sox uniform.  Special salutations to Magglio Ordonez for batting him in with two out.  

So much for Sox highlights.

Gary Glover was sharp for one inning, Bob Howry did his level best to send Sox Fans into heart palpitations with his walks, but did manage two scoreless innings.  With the score still tied, Jerry Manuel went to Keith Foulke in the tenth.  A walk and two singles made him this game's loser.  If you squinted real hard, it looked like Foulke on the mound in the Hump Dome last June.

Roberto Hernandez closed it out for Kansas City.  The Sox had the tying run on third base with one out, but pinch hitter Herbert Perry swung at the first pitch but couldn't get the ball in the air.  His weak grounder was the second out.  Mark Johnson battled but was out number three.  

Corpseball for ten innings.  That's very difficult to do.