2007 State of the Sox

April 19: White Sox 6, Rangers 4

Today was a day for the much-maligned:

A.J. Pierzynski came through with a three-run homer off nemesis Vicente Padilla, who plunked the Sox catcher twice during an infamous evening last year.

Joe Crede had a triple and a go-ahead single, finally using the opposite field to fend off that low and outside pitch.

Rob Mackowiak shook off missing a difficult play and cranked his first home run of the year, a two-run shot.

Mike MacDougal helped minimize damage out of the bullpen, Matt Thornton pitched 1 1/3 lights-out innings, and Bobby Jenks closed out the game despite a shrinking strike zone.

Hell, Darin Erstad even had a hit, and reached base later when Scott Feldman put his fingers to his mouth.  I'm sure Erstad caused that to happen somehow.

All of the above helped the Sox to right the ship after what was a very Soxtastic first six innings, take the series and even their record at .500.

The White Sox shot themselves in the foot early on when Razor Shines had his first Joey Cora moment of the season.  With Pierzynski on first after a walk, Crede hit a long drive to right-center, just past the outstretched glove of Nelson Cruz.  A.J. had to hold up until it fell, but Razor waved him home anyway.  A solid relay brought the ball to the plate well in advance of Pierzynski, who was tagged out trying to slide.  A Mackowiak pop-up later, the threat was over.

Pierzynski's blast two innings later couldn't have come at a better time, but it certainly appeared as though the Sox couldn't score without the homer, because up until Crede's go-ahead single in the eighth, all 10 of the Sox's runs came via the long ball.

Crede drove in Jermaine Dye, who led off with a double, and helped the Sox regain the lead lost when Javier Vazquez crashed into the 75-pitch mark. 

Aside from a Sammy Sosa solo homer off an 89 m.p.h. fastball center-cut, Vazquez cruised through the game until the seventh -- or, the 75-pitch mark, since Michael Young doubled in a run on pitch No. 76 the inning before.  Vazquez got out of that jam, but promptly put himself in another one when Sammy Sosa led off with a double off the left-field wall -- one that Mackowiak could've played better, but by no means routine.

Ozzie pulled Vazquez immediately afterwards, even though Javy had only 80 pitches.  Andy Sisco relieved him and made a beautiful pitch to jam Hank Blalock, but unfortunately it fell into no man's land in left field for a double to put runners on second third.  MacDougal came in and retired the next three hitters flyball-strikeout-groundout to keep the game tied.

Rangers pitchers prevented Thome from homering for a third straight game because they didn't give him anything to hit -- he walked five times.  Of course, they could afford to do that with the game Paul Konerko had.  Konerko struck out swinging at an outside slider in the seventh with two on, and looking in the eighth with the bases loaded.  Overall, he stranded eight runners.

Record: 7-7 | Box score | Play-by-play