Much Better!

(June 30)

Short Take:  Bottom of the order delivers

After a much-improved effort over Friday's sleepwalk, our White Sox again find themselves just one game from .500.  Facing the Baltimore Orioles one more time they could be back at .500 just in time to face you-know-who.  Brother, if that isn't enough motivation, nothing is.  Sox knock off the Birds, 4-1.

James Baldwin pitched and pitched and pitched.  Five innings later he had thrown 111 times and was heading to the showers.  Warrior that he is, J.B. left with an eight-hit shutout.  

James got the win because of a productive bottom-half to the Sox line up.  For perhaps the first time all season, it was the guys from #6 down that grabbed victory for the Sox.  What was the difference?  Try Jose Canseco.  The big guy reached base three times including a walk.  Ray Durham--were you paying attention?  He didn't homer or drive in a run though he had some mammoth cuts (does Jose ever not get his cuts?) and set the table for the guys behind him.

Herbert Perry was #7 and wasted no time capitalizing.  With Canseco on-base, Perry's second inning two-run dinger put the Sox on top for the rest of the game.  Following a Paul Konerko solo dinger to start the fourth, Canseco walked, stole second, and came home on #8 hitter Sandy Alomar singled him home.  

What did our #9 hitter do?  Well, that was Royce Clayton.  He had an 0-fer performance, which means he beat the odds and actually lowered his batting average.  It's almost a physical impossibility for him not to raise it if he gets just one hit.  And of course Jerry Manuel will immediately point to it and say how nice it is to see Royce pulling through.  Gag wretch.  Jose Valentin was benched so this loser could bat #9 and do jack for the team.

Alan Embree is every Sox Fans hero for taking the roster spot of versatile-bust Josh Paul, optioned to Charlotte upon the ex-Giants pitcher's arrival.  He was sharp in one inning relief.  Bob Howry gave up a dinger in his two innings, but that gave Keith Foulke a save opportunity in the ninth which of course he closed effortlessly.

Rubber game Sunday before you-know-who comes to town.  Ripken gets a Comiskey send-off, and Magglio bobble head dolls, too.  1917 championship uniforms for the Sox; let's hope they play like it.

Critical stretch coming up!