2006 State of the Sox

August 12: White Sox 4, Tigers 3

Today, for better and for worse, we saw the return of Old Mark Buehrle.

In the early going, he was the Mark Buehrle who could pound the inside corner with fastballs, setting up the quality curveballs diving low and in, and working the change to the outside corner. 

In the fifth inning, he was the Mark Buehrle who got flustered by a defensive miscue and held the door open for the Tigers as they took a seemingly commanding lead. 

All in all, it was good to see the pitcher we got to know and love over these years.  He was working quick, throwing strikes, and in a surprise to everybody, racking up a lot of striekouts.  He set a season-high with seven, all of them collected in the first three innings as he blew through the Tiger lineup.  For those who wanted their Buehrle back (Buehrle-back-Buehrle-back...), they got him.

The fifth inning hurt -- Juan Uribe got to the bag late on a shoulda-been double play, and Buehrle helped the Tigers make the extra out count.  Sean Casey hit a two-run homer, and then the Tigers collected a couple of two-out hits to push a third run across the plate.  The 3-0 lead seemed insurmountable considering Kenny Rogers was throwing a perfect game at the time. 

Like the Tigers, however, the Sox were able to turn a Detroit lapse into runs.  Paul Konerko singled, advanced to second on Jermaine Dye's groundout, and then advanced to third when Carlos Guillen booted Sandy Alomar Jr.'s grounder.  Uribe -- in his first game back -- doubled down the left field line to drive in Konerko, and Brian Anderson followed up with a two-run single on a 1-2 pitch off a wily veteran.  This time it was Rogers; last time it was Mike Mussina.

Then the Tigers failed to turn a double play of their own two innings later, and the Sox converted.  Instead of grounding into a 5-4-3, Joe Crede got to second when Brandon Inge -- much like Alex Rodriguez two games before -- threw wide to second to put runners on second and third.  Jermaine Dye scored on Alomar's sacrifice fly, and that would be all they needed. 

Hats off to a tremendous game by the bullpen for coming through when Ozzie employed the quick hook on Buehrle, who pitched a scoreless sixth and was only at 91 pitches.  Mike MacDougal earned his first Sox victory with 1 1/3 perfect innings, and Matt Thornton and Bobby Jenks combined to throw a perfect 1 2/3 innings of their own as the Sox locked up their fifth consecutive series victory.

Now, if only they could lock up the sweep tomorrow -- they haven't done that since blowing St. Louis away in late June.

Record: 69-46 | Box score | Play-by-play