Marathon win!

(September 22)  

Short take:  Graffanino again!

The Sox took four hours to win this game, left 14 runners on base, and blew the lead twice, but still managed to beat Kansas City 5-4 in ten innings.  Are we this good or are the Royals that bad?

No comment.

Jon Garland was spotted a nice 1-0 lead thanks to nifty rbi triple by Chris Singleton.  He kicked the lead away in the fifth allowing three runs on four hits, but hey--no errors!  Mark Johnson looked fastball on the first pitch and stroked a solo shot dinger while Jose Valentin singled home Ray Durham to tie the game in the fifth.

The Sox looked to blow the game open in the seventh when Valentin led off with a walk.  Jerry Manuel went to yesterday's hero Tony Graffanino for pinch running duty then watched as Tony advanced to second on a groundout then scored on Paul Konerko's single.  The Sox had the bases loaded but couldn't push another run across the plate.  Hasn't that been the problem all season?

Here comes Bob Howry, and there goes the lead.  It's not just that Howry blows ballgames, it's how he does it from the moment he steps onto the mound.  A leadoff single and a double does the deed this time.  Can we send Howry home for an early winter vacation?

Manuel tempted fate bringing Keith Foulke into another tied game.  He also left him in for two full innings.  Given the state of the Sox bullpen, maybe he had no choice?

Thankfully it all worked out.  Ray Durham hit what was surely a game-winning homerun to right-centerfield, but the wind knocked it down.  Centerfielder Carlos Beltran demonstrated why his team is one of the worse in baseball, running all the way to the warning track, then inexplicably attempting a basket catch.  It was a three-base error and nearly brought Durham home with an unearned in-the-park homerun.  As it was he stood at third base with nobody out.

In a season seemingly devoid of situational hitting, up strode Tony Graffanino.  He took two balls then sat on something good, content to get under the pitch.  Easy does it!  Durham scampered home, Sox teammates ran on the field, and Tony got a shaving cream pie in the face.  Apparently Paul Konerko doesn't like Graff's copy-cat goatee?

Whatever.  All those "W's" look alike in the win column.  The Sox their 77th one of the season.

Hey Sox Fans!

Coming this Sunday another EXCLUSIVE to White Sox Interactive!  A new book written by WSI's own Dan Helpingstine, 

"Through Hope and Despair -- A Fan's memories of the Chicago White Sox, 1967-1997"  

Here's a book written especially for Sox Fans!  Learn more here on Sunday.