The White Sox probably shouldn't have scored any runs in that four-run second inning. A-Rod tossed an easy double play ball five feet wide of second base, and on the very next play, Melky Cabrera booted a ball that, if he came up clean with it, most likely would have prevented a run. On the other side of things, Javier Vazquez only lasted five innings.
I guess you just have to file this one under "Winning Ugly".
- I hate to go all cliche on you guys, but Vazquez battled tonight against a lineup that is arguably the best in baseball. It looked like Javy's typical "big inning" was going to come in the first, but a Jorge Posada line drive right to Brian Anderson ended a would-be rally. Maybe, just maybe, we're witnessing the beginning of Javy's turn-around. Even on the two-run homer to Jason Giambi, Vazquez was beat on his fastball.
- Nice job, top of the order. Scott Podsednik and Tadahito Iguchi went a combined 5-for-8; the former even drove in two runs. The two out rally in the 8th, which started with a Brian Anderson double and ended with Podsednik hitting a soft, line drive single up the middle, ended up being the winning run.
- Kudos to the bullpen. I know they had us on the edge of our seats, but four innings with two runs got the job done tonight. McCarthy looked to be blowing guys away with his fastball, until Cabrera finally was able to turn one around. Thorton provided a nice bridge to Jenks, who looked real good without throwing his curve.
- How was the strikezone tonight? Was it, at the very least, consistent? I ask because I was sitting in the upper deck tonight, and multiple times you were able to see Vazquez, Mussina, and Thorton stare at the homeplate umpire. Jim Thome and Alex Rodriguez even had words for the man in blue.
But you know what? Who cares? After the last month or so that we've been through, who are we to complain?