Boom Boom!

(September 23)  

Short take:  Out go the lights!

What's the difference between a good team that is out of contention and a bad team suffering a similar fate?  The contrast has rarely been more evident than it was Sunday afternoon at Comiskey.  The Sox played like a team that still cares about the season while the Royals played liked they cared only about their first tee-off time next month.  Sox sweep the Royals in convincing fashion with two five-run innings.  The final was 10-2.

Boom! Boom!  Out go the lights!

It didn't always look to be this easy.  Chad Durbin looked good early.  Following in the fine tradition of such mediocrities as Joe "Cy" Mays, Durbin had little trouble handling Sox hitters for the first two innings.  He struck out the side in the first inning and retired the Sox 1-2-3 in the second.  That was the end of the line, however, for Durbin.

Chris Singleton led off the third inning with a double, and the Sox conga line began.  The first four Sox hitters reached base safely, five runs scored on just four hits, keyed by Magglio Ordonez's grand slam smash.  The Sox sent nine hitters to the plate.  How depressing must it be playing for the Kansas City Royals in late-September?

It gets worse for Durbin.  Ray Durham led off the fifth with a double and the Sox were in business again.  Durbin walked one batter, hit another, walked in a run, then floated a beach ball up to Royce Clayton that the shortstop couldn't quite clear the wall with, settling for a three-rbi double.   Five more runs on three hits put the Sox up 10-1 and all that was left for Sox Fans was to wait to sing "God Bless America" with Kate Smith.

Sox ace Mark Buehrle pitched nice and easy with a fat lead.  He gave up a pair of solo dingers of no consequence.  His eight innings of work lowered his ERA to 3.37.  He struck out three and walked nobody.  Matt Ginter finished it off with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Monday is an off day, followed by the season's final three home games against Minnesota.  Here's the team more than any other that ruined our 2001 season.  We owe these guys BIG TIME!

No mercy on smelly ol' man Kelly and his north woods clods!

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