Technically speaking, the Sox had this game won in the first inning. Hell, they had it won after 20 pitches.
Orlando Cabrera met Zack Greinke with a first-pitch single. So did A.J. Pierzynski on a hit-and run. Carlos Quentin was plunked with a first pitch, and Jermaine Dye singled two home on a first-pitch to give the Sox a 2-1 lead on four pitches.
Jim Thome made it 3-1 on six pitches. Paul Konerko upped it to 4-1 with a rocket off Alex Gordon's mitt on pitch No. 7. The rest came a bit more slowly, but after a Nick Swisher single, a Joe Crede single and an Alexei Ramirez sac fly, the Sox had a 6-1 lead.
That would be all Mark Buehrle needed, as he cruised after allowing his usual unearned run in the first after Alexei mishandled a two-out grounder by trying to make the exchange from glove to hand between his legs. A blooper to right, the Royals had a 1-0 lead.
That was the only hit Buehrle allowed through five innings. The only baserunner reached on Crede's 18th error, a ball that shorthopped him in the arm. Nick Swisher made a nice running catch on the warning track, but otherwise, Buehrle jammed Kansas City for most of the night.
The lone exception was the sixth, when David DeJesus and Mark Teahan singles preceded a Billy Butler blast to cut the lead to 7-4, making it slightly uncomfortable for a short bit. But the Sox rebounded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks to plate patience. A Dye single, walk by Thome and a Konerko plunking set the stage for Swisher, who worked a walk so tough he thought he struck out jogging halfway down the line. Crede added a deep sac fly for the Sox's final run.
Though the Sox didn't get a hit with runners in scoring position, it was vastly optimal compared to the first time the Sox had the sacks packed and nobody out. Dye and Thome had chased Greinke by working back-to-back walks that required Greinke to throw 23 pitches between them. But in came Joel Peralta, and the Sox had no answer for him. Konerko popped out, Swisher struck out, and Crede flew out meekly to end the inning with the Royals unscored upon.
Record: 55-40 |
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