Bobby Jenks almost capped a white-knuckled affair in calming fashion. He had retired Edgar Renteria and Brandon Inge on first-pitch pop-ups, then had Curtis Granderson down 0-2.
But Granderson worked the count full, doubled, and a tense game was going to have a tense finish -- especially when Jenks fell behind 2-0 to the next batter, Placido Polanco.
Polanco swung at ball three, and Jenks regained his rhythm. The count went full, but Jenks fanned Polanco to end the game.
Still, it was a relatively quiet end for a game that featured plenty of thunder.
The Sox only scored in two innings, but they were big ones -- a four-run third, and a three-run fifth. Those outbursts were the fruit of a patient plate approach against Justin Verlander, who, unlike the last time he faced the Sox, could not get ahead of hitters.
Orlando Cabrera started the third with a double to the left-center gap, and A.J. Pierzynski stuck his bat out on a low changeup and flipped it into center to tie the game at one. Carlos Quentin then absolutely pummeled a pitch well into the left field stands, and Jermaine Dye muscled another one into the bullpen to go back-to-back.
The same part of the order sent Verlander packing in the fifth. A.J. Pierzynski led off with a single, Carlos Quentin walked, and Jermaine Dye shot a single through the right side to give the Sox their lead bcak after John Danks couldn't hold it. In came Bobby Seay, and Jim Thome took him the other way to score Quentin and make it a 6-4 game, and Nick Swisher hit a sac fly to center for one more.
That would prove to be enough for the Sox, though it became an adventure. Danks settled down after his three-run third -- with one run aided by an Alexei Ramirez throwing error -- with a 3-2 mistake to Magglio Ordonez as the only other run he allowed. He left the ballgame with a 7-5 lead, and the bullpen would hold it ... barely.
D.J. Carrasco retired two of the three hitters he faced, including sawing off Marcus Thames like I hadn't seen before. The barrel of the bat flew out to Orlando Cabrera, while the ball literally traveled two feet or so. Renteria singled, but Inge flew out to center for the second out.
But Boone Logan forgot how to retire lefties, and gave up a single to Granderson to put runners on the corners. In came Octavio Dotel, who walked Polanco to load the bases. He battled fiercely with Carlos Guillen, but a wild pitch made it a one-run game. A low, inside slider finally sent Guillen packing, and Dotel recorded a 1-2-3 eighth to make up for it.
Record: 59-43 |
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