Back at "The Cell" tonight. We got there a half-hour early and I'm glad we did - there was 36,151 at the game, a crowd we don't normally see. Even though we felt OK walking to the park through the parking lot, when we got to our seats during Oakland's BP, the wind was whipping around the park and we were cold. We didn't expect that. It was bad enough that Carol had to go to the gift shop and buy some sweatshirts - which I never had to wear because the place seemed to warm up as the people came in.
The game was a disaster starting with the first batter. Scott Hatteberg hit a grounder to Konerko, who booted the ball. Jose Guillen bunted and got an infield single when Konerko juggled the throw. Then (after Chavez lined to short), Miguel Tejada hits one to left and Carlos Lee loses the ball in the setting sun. They went on to score three times in the inning, and one thing you don't let Oakland do is get into the game early. And all of those runs were unearned. Jon Garland had over 50 pitches in the 3rd, so he didn't last all that long - 5 innings with 95 pitches.
We were losing 6-0 in the 5th when we started scoring. We had the bases loaded and one out when we chased their starter Ted Lilly, which means he wouldn't get the win (since he didn't pitch 5 innings). So, they bring in a former Sox - Chad Bradford. When he was with us, I remember him having something like a three-quarter sidearm delivery. He's full underarm now. His knuckles, during delivery, are literally just inches above the ground - he's almost scraping them.
Anyway, we scored twice in the 5th and that was it. Bradford got the win. To add insult to injury, Billy Koch - formerly Oakland's closer - finished the game and gave up another homerun. Then Keith Foulke - formerly the Sox closer - mopped us up just fine. Hindsight is always 20/20, and this trade for this year just didn't work out. Koch: 50 G (48 IP), 5-5, 5.65 ERA, 11 Saves (of 15), 53 hits, 32 runs (30 earned), 10 HR. Foulke: 50 G (60 IP), 8-1, 2.40 ERA 28 Saves (of 32), 43 hits, 17 runs (16 earned) 7 HR.
*sigh*. Our time alone in First Place only lasted a day, and now we're a half game out.
(Boxscore)
2006- Eewwww... I didn't need to see that...
2005- Stupid Yankee Fan
- 100,000
- Home Safe
2004- Still not getting there...
2002- Florida
- I've got a nut and I'm not affraid to use it
- Jaws 2002
- Friday 5 - Cars