White Sox win fourth straight

[Migraine1]

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASA...=.jsp&c_id=cws

South Siders first in Majors to reach 20 wins
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

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CHICAGO -- The highlights shown from the White Sox's 4-2 victory over Kansas City on Wednesday night will feature A.J. Pierzynski's game-winning, two-run home run coming with two outs in the fourth inning.
But the real credit for the win before 12,712 at U.S. Cellular Field should go to Freddy Garcia, stellar bullpen work from Cliff Politte, Damaso Marte and Dustin Hermanson (fourth save) and another flawless defensive effort. That little piece of postgame analysis comes straight from Pierzynski himself.

"Freddy and our pitchers deserve all the credit," said Pierzynski, who drove in just his third and fourth runs with his second home run. "If you talk to Freddy, he would probably tell you that he didn't have his best stuff. He threw a lot of fastballs and he battled.

"The bullpen did their standard job they have all year. It's one of those games that was good to win."

Garcia (3-1) had not been on the mound since last Wednesday in Oakland, a six-day break that could explain the Royals (7-20) putting at least one runner on base in six of the seven innings that the right-hander worked. When Garcia exited with one out in the seventh and runners on first and second, the Royals only had managed to score once against him. Garcia allowed eight hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings, striking out four, and was officially charged with two earned runs.

Neal Cotts, who hadn't pitched since April 24 at Kansas City, replaced Garcia and walked Ruben Gotay to load the bases. But Cliff Politte quickly squelched the rally, inducing Mike Sweeney's sacrifice fly to center and striking out Ken Harvey.

After Joe McEwing singled leading off the eighth, Marte and Hermanson shut down the next six Kansas City hitters. The top of the ninth inning was especially telling in terms of the way the White Sox have won a Major League-best 20 of their first 27 games in 2005.

Tadahito Iguchi made two great plays on ground balls hit up the middle to retire Mark Teahen and David DeJesus. Juan Uribe finished things off with a sliding catch of Gotay's spinning popup in short left field.

"That's our game," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen of the sparkling defense. "If that continues to happen, we will have even better games."

"Those plays don't surprise me," added White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, who accounted for the team's first run with his third home run, a solo shot coming in the third against Runelvys Hernandez (1-4). "I've been watching them since Spring Training. Those aren't easy plays, and they still make them."

An eighth-inning double to left-center from Scott Podsednik was the only White Sox hit after Pierzynski's home run. Once again, though, the South Siders had just enough offense.

Jermaine Dye singled home Aaron Rowand with the go-ahead run in the fourth, after Rowand swiped second base. Pierzynski followed with a blast to right on a 1-1 pitch, giving the White Sox four straight wins after three straight losses.

"I was looking for something I could get up," said Pierzynski of the home run. "My first at-bat, I had a good pitch to hit and hit it hard to Stairs. It has been frustrating because I haven't had many chances to drive guys in. When I have, I haven't been getting them in."

"We are coming up with big hits, in a timely fashion, and the pitchers are keeping us in the ballgame," added Dye, who has four hits in his last two games, raising his average to .207. "We just have to stay as consistent as possible, try to put runs on the board early and take some pressure off the pitchers."

The victory marked the 27th straight game in which the White Sox have held the lead, extending their own Major League record to start a season. It also raised their record to 5-0 against Kansas City, 17-4 against the American League Central and 9-1 in series played.

Coupled with Minnesota's third straight loss, the White Sox now hold a 4 1/2-game lead in the Central. Their hot start is a surprise to many, aside from the players in the White Sox clubhouse. With the solid pitching and defense on display Wednesday night expected to continue, this team only expects to get better.

"It's a good team here," Hermanson said. "It's a long season to go. It's a marathon, but this isn't a fluke. We aren't playing well for just the first month plus. This is a great team."

[Impossibles]

The win streak is ending tonight!

[777rak]

lol ^

they are on a roll

[Impossibles]

The Jays better win tonight, because Buelre and Garland are almost guaranteed wins for Chicago, and they're the next two up.