• Nick Swisher's lead-off home run was the White Sox first since Aaron Rowand went deep off Brian Anderson in October of 2004.
• The last time the Sox won a game by 11 or more runs was the 4th of July 2006.

• I'm having trouble remembering the exact stat at this moment -- which is odd, because I beat it into the ground last year -- for the longest time last season the only Sox blowout victory was Buehrle's no-hitter.

In other words, the Grinder Era is dead.

The Sox were far from perfect on Sunday night; Joe Crede reprised his spring training throwing woes, Orlando Cabrera bobbled a ball at short, Carlos Quentin dropped a routine flyball, Jim Thome failed to reach base. Yet they still found a way to blow the Tigers out.

With a little help from Carlos Guillen and the Detroit bullpen the offense took an otherwise close game and made it a laugher in relatively little time. With the Sox up 3-1 in the 6th, Guillen dropped an routine throw for what would have been out two. The Sox took advantage.

• Jermaine Dye doubled -- A normal runner would have scored from first, but Jon Miller noted that Paul Konerko was "digging for third."
• Pierzynski got an intentional free pass to set up the DP for Quentin
• Quentin quickly came through with one of his specialties, the HBP
• Crede, who had one of the most misleading 4-5 performances I've ever seen, found exactly the right spot in the Tigers infield to extend the inning.
• Uribe'd
• Swisher drove a single back up the middle to score Quentin
• Cabrera finally came through at the plate, splitting the right field gap for a bases clearing double, and the Sox lead 9-1.

In many ways, I know it's too early to get excited about the Sox play. I know it's too early to draw too many conclusions from what we've seen so far. But it's just refreshing to have 3 outfielders for a change. It's amazing what a couple extra major league hitters can do for a lineup.

It's already shaping up to be a more fun season than last year.

Bat explosion!

Tied at 1 after 4

Mark Buehrle vs. Justin Verlander

(L, 0-0, 37.80, 1.2, 1, 1, 4.80) (R, 0-0, 6.00, 6.0, 6, 1, 0.83) [Throws, W-L, ERA, IP, K, BB, WHIP]

Time: 7:05 p.m. CT, TV: ESPN2, Radio: WSCR AM-670 (B-R preview, Live Boxscore; 2007 MLB Gameday; 2008 MLB Gameday)

Good Guys:

	Name		 AVG	HR	RBI	SB
1. N Swisher, CF	.200	0	0	0
2. O Cabrera, SS	.158	0	0	1
3. J Thome, DH		.200	2	5	0
4. P Konerko, 1B	.188	0	3	0
5. J Dye, RF		.474	2	3	0
6. A Pierzynski, C	.529	2	7	0
7. C Quentin, LF	.308	1	3	0
8. J Crede, 3B		.263	1	3	0
9. J Uribe, 2B		.188	1	1	0

Bad Guys:

	Name		 AVG	HR	RBI	SB
1. I Rodriguez, C	.200	0	2	0
2. M Thames, LF		.000	0	0	0
3. G Sheffield, DH	.143	0	1	0
4. M Ordonez, RF	.238	0	0	0
5. M Cabrera, 3B	.143	1	1	0
6. C Guillen, 1B	.375	1	1	0
7. E Renteria, SS	.227	0	1	0
8. B Inge, CF		.375	2	4	0
9. R Santiago, 2B	-	-	-	-

GO SOX!