2007 State of the Sox

September 19: White Sox 7, Royals 0

This is what Monday's game would have looked like if the Sox spread out their scoring.  They killed the ball and received an even better pitching performance, this time by Jose Contreras.

Contreras became the Sox's second 10-game winner by throwing a six-hit shutout.  It started inauspiciously, as he plunked David DeJesus with a forkball on a 1-2 count to start the game, but Contreras erased him with a double play, which would be a recurring theme.  The Count induced three twin killings on the evening, and generally stumped the Royals all night long.  He recorded the final out of the game on his 100th pitch.

Meanwhile, Sox hitters finally got to Brian Bannister after scoring only three earned runs off him over the previous two starts.  Jim Thome had a great game in particular, starting off with a first-inning double and hitting homers No. 501 and 502, all off Bannister.  Juan Uribe also launched his 20th homer, a majestic shot just inside the left field foul pole.

Moreover, they kept hitting when Bannister left the game.  Jorge De La Rosa was pounded in the seventh -- Josh Fields singled, Paul Konerko doubled and Jermaine Dye drove Fields in -- and they were all smoked.

It's just a shame they weren't doing this in the first five months of the season.

Record: 66-86 | Box score | Play-by-play