AJ HOMERS AJ HOMERS

My winning streak at the Cell has reached an incredible 15 games in a row, what is even more amazing is that this streak includes FIVE sweeps!!! C.C. Sabathia & the Tribe were the latest victims. In what may have been Sabathia’s last start as a member of Cleveland, he was matched up against Jose Contreras. That divorce from a year ago must’ve really been playing mind games, because while he’s not dominant, he’s no longer the doormat he was in 2007, he battles till the end.

Contreras finally surrendered to Grady Sizemore, threw him a fastball, which he nailed for a single. Sizemore moved up on Jamie Carroll’s grounder, which would’ve been a doubleplay had Grady not been on the move. Later in the inning Sizemore scored on a Jhonny Peralta base hit. 1-0 Tribe with the Sox coming up in the bottom of the 1st.

C.C. had a 95 MPH fastball and a filthy breaking ball working all night. Remarkably A.J. Pierzynski & Jermaine Dye hit fastballs on the screws for long gone home runs, 2-1 Good Guys after one. You could tell both balls were gone from the sound they made off the bat. Caramel-Corn Mike didn’t even have to look up to know they were gone.

The Indians manufactured a run in the top of the 2nd, thanks in part to an error by Pablo Ozuna. Isn’t always the way, a guy who makes an error leads off his team’s at bat with a ringing double over the centerfielder’s head? Well that’s exactly what Ozuna did and then he scored on a base hit by Nick Swisher (did I mention I was wearing his teeshirt?). I felt an arm on my shoulder, looked up to see it was Minnie Minoso. After exchanging hellos we got down to the business of talking baseball. I was impressed by the deep drive to left by Alexei Ramirez, while Minnie correctly pointed out, he has to move that runner along. Still after all these years, around 80 years old, Minnie understands how the game has to be played. You can buy stuff from Minnie at www.minoso.com.

In the top of the 5th Sizemore leads off with a walk, this time Contreras had him 0-2, but couldn’t get his curveball over, and ended up walking him. Grady steals 2nd and scores on a Carroll triple inside the rightfield foul line. Remarkably Contreras bears down and gets out of it without giving up another run. It’s about 90 degrees, sticky & hot, but Jose looks to be in his element, probably reminds him of a winter night in Cuba.

Before the 6th inning begins I tell Dick, it might be better just having Sizemore hit a home run rather than having that speed on base, especially leading off the inning. Well Sizemore was due up third in the 6th and I really thought Ozzie Guillen would bring in a lefty with two outs & nobody on base, and with Contreras throwing a ton of pitches, working out of jams, on a very hot night. Well Grady rips a fastball high & deep over the rightfield wall, Dick says, you got what you wanted. I try to argue that I only thought a homer might be better than speed on the bases when he was leading off an inning. An argument I would regret even thinking.

There was alot going on where I stand behind the plate as the Sox came up for their at bats in the bottom of the 6th, talking & what not, nothing to do with baseball. So I decided to vacate my post, move over a little bit on the other side of a brick partition, and sure enough Jackie stops by to visit. Jackie is a cute little vendor friend of mine, she stopped by just to say hi, it would have been rude for me to have ignored her, but I really wanted to concentrate on our hitters. And from what I hear our hitters took some mighty good cuts in the bottom of the 6th, some very loud outs, but I didn’t see any of it. My eyes were glued on Jackie, sorry I didn’t tell her I wouldn’t be back till the 21st, she’ll be looking for me, I’m sure.

My focus was back on the game in the bottom of the 7th as Brian Anderson stepped in with two runners on base. I was slumped against the wall, head down, eyes closed. Just then another fan stopped by to say, Brian Anderson made him nervous, he wasn’t saying it as a good thing. Immediately I plucked myself off the wall and came to life, I was pulling for Anderson to split the gap, with confidence, Brian hits it hard into the leftcenterfield gap for a two run double and the lead.

Nick Masset pitched the 7th, Octavio Dotel worked the 8th, and setup man Scott Linebrink was called upon to close it out in the 9th, there would be no Bobby Jenks. The first man Linebrink would face would be Sizemore, Dick looked at me and said, “Don’t even think it”, but it was too late as Grady ripped one over the rightfield wall for a loud game tying homer.

Last night’s winner, first win of his career, Adam Russell held the Tribe scoreless in the top of the 10th, and A.J. Pierzynski hit the game winning walkoff home run deep into the night to right.

A sweep of Cleveland and my streak extended to 15! A White Sox security guard threatened that I couldn’t leave when I told him about the streak and that I wouldn’t be back until July 21st.

Here’s to the Sox! Let’s hope they can keep the fireworks going during the games this weekend against the A’s. Tade & I might go to see the Sox in Oakland in August. Other out of town baseball for Teddy Ballgame includes a game between the Indians & Angels in Anaheim on 7/22 and a four game set in Minnesota rooting on the Southside Hitmen. LET’S GO WHITE SOX!