After months of the pitching staff being the disappointment, it's been the offense that's costing the Sox victories. For the third straight game, the Sox only scored in one inning, and it wasn't enough this time.
Mark Buehrle pitched a solid ballgame, which I've
described in further detail on Sox Machine. Dustin Hermanson didn't blow it in a high leverage situation, Matt Thornton prevented an inherited runner from scoring, Bobby Jenks prevented his runner from scoring, and yet even with three scoreless innings, they couldn't get any help.
The bullpen finally cracked when Jenks -- throwing 93-94 again after hitting the upper 90s Monday -- allowed Chone Figgins to hit the game-winning single with runners on the corners and two outs. The batter before, Jenks nearly got the Sox's fourth double play of the game, but it was hit a little too weakly to short, and they could only get the force at second.
Jenks may have lost some velocity, but the offense has to own up to this one.
Like yesterday, they had one solid inning off the Angel starter, this time Ervin Santana. A.J. Pierzynski led off with a single, and Joe Crede followed with the same on a 13-pitch at-bat. Rob Mackowiak's single would score Pierzynski, Juan Uribe bunted them over to second and third. After a Scott Podsednik walk, Tadahito Iguchi drove two runs in with a single to give the Sox a 3-2 lead.
Pods then killed the rally with an ill-advised steal attempt of third when Santana couldn't find the plate. He was thrown out easily, as Maicier Izturis placed the tag down on a nancy-boy-sliding Pods for the second out.
Then, the Sox missed a golden opportunity in the ninth inning when Joe Crede struck out with runners on first and third with one out. Paul Konerko walked, and a pinch-running Jerry Owens advanced to third on a single smoked by A.J. Pierzynski. But Crede looked overmatched against Francisco Rodriguez, and Rob Mackowiak chopped out to second to end the inning.
The only other threat, and it wasn't much of one, came when Ross Gload made a nice hustle play to turn a single into a double on Vladimir Guerrero in right in the top of the 11th. But Pierzynski tapped meekly back to the pitcher, and that was that.
Record: 83-62 |
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