A couple of lefties who’ve been getting clobbered this year faced each other for their respective clubs Saturday night, you guessed it, a pitcher’s duel. Mark Buehrle (1-5) for the Sox was matched up against Barry Zito (0-7) for the Giants. After two innings Chicago was leading 2-0, it looked like it was going to be easy, but those were the only runs Zito would allow through five innings of work. Barry dodged lots of bullets, allowing eight hits and six walks, but only two runs. San Fran scored a run in the 5th to cut the lead to one, but Chicago added an unearned run in the 6th and held on for a 3-1 win.
Mark Buehrle hit a basehit off the rightfield wall for a single. And he looked sharp on the hill. But once again it was the bullpen doing the trick as Octavio Dotel struckout the only batter he faced, while Scott Linebrink & Bobby Jenks worked the final two innings of scoreless baseball.
On to Sunday, break out the brooms! Matt Cain was pitching a no hitter against the Sox as the game entered the top of the 5th. Although still relatively early in the game, a no-no is always a definite possibility with Cain’s stuff, and a 1-0 lead on the strength of a Rich Aurilia homer was looking tough.
Just about the time I noticed the no-no was when the Sox bats woke up. First Joe Crede hit a 5th inning shot to knot the game at one, Orlando Cabrera broke the tie with a solo blast of his own the next inning, followed by a two run drive off Carlos Quinten’s bat, and then Cabrera did it again the next inning with a man aboard, to make the score 6-3 heading into the bottom of the 7th.
It was bullpen time, which early in the year meant trouble, but lately has meant lights out for the opponents. This time however, the pen couldn’t hold it for Sox starter John Danks. Erhren Wasserman was tagged for two runs and Matt Thornton let in another. Tied at six was where the game stood through seven.
Nick Swisher’s bases loaded two out bloop double to left alluded the leftfielder, clearing the bases, which once again put the game on easy street, as Octavio Dotel was brought on to preserve the victory, leading 9-6.
Dotel must’ve been listening to Take A Walk On The Wild Side, as he walked the bases loaded with nobody out. Ozzie Guillen summoned Nick “Houdini” Massett to get out of the jam, and he did, preserving a one run lead, 9-8. I guess the White Sox hitters aren’t fans of the Beach Boys as they scored four insurance runs off closer, brought in to keep the game close, Brian Wilson, which allowed Sox closer Bobby Jenks to sit back down, and watch Nick Massett to finish this one off 13-8.
Get out the brooms, Good Guys Sweep!