White Sox 5, Dodgers 4: Bullpen picks up Humber

For the second straight night, the Sox jumped out to a nice lead against the Dodgers. For the second straight night, that lead disappeared in an instant. The difference tonight though, was the bullpen came in and shut down Los Angeles. Hector Santiago, Nate Jones, Jesse Crain and Addison Reed each put up goose eggs and held on to the one run lead.

The Sox got things started in the 2nd inning. After a Paul Konerko double, Alex Rios singled and stole second. Alexei Ramirez came through with a single to center to give the good guys the quick 2-0 lead. Philip Humber would help himself out as he singled home Ramirez with a liner over the first base bag.

The Sox would make it 4-0 in the third. Gordon Beckham and Adam Dunn singled to open the frame. Paul Konerko would strike out and Beckham got thrown out trying to steal thrid, but Rios again came through with a triple off of the center field wall scoring Dunn.

Unfortunately, that lead didn't last long as Humber imploded in the bottom of the inning. Chad Billingsley, Dee Gordon and Andre Either all singled to load the bases with one out. Jerry Hairston flew to center bringing home Billingsley for the first run. Then the hit parade started. Bobby Abreu singled to left, bringing home Gordon. Catcher A.J. Ellis singled to center scoring Ethier to make it 4-3. James Loney made the lead disappear with a single to score Abreu. Juan Uribe rolled to Konerko to mercifully end the inning.

The Sox came right back in the 4th. Alexei Ramirez was hit with a curve ball to lead off the inning. He stole 2nd and took 3rd on an Orlando Hudson grounder to Jerry Hairston that the second baseman booted. Humber struck out on a two strike bunt attempt, but Alejandro De Aza chopped to second and beat the throw back to first to score Ramirez and give the Sox a 5-4 lead.

Humber tried to give the lead away again in the fourth as Billingsley singled again to start the inning. A two out Ethier walk and a wild pitch put men on 2nd and 3rd for Hairston. Jerry hit a flare in front of 2nd base that Ramirez came on and made a diving catch to end the inning. If the ball hit the ground, there was no way he gets Hairston at first and the game would have been tied.

Zeros were put up the rest of the way and the game ended when Reed blew away Elian Herrera to give the Sox the much needed victory.

WP: Humber (3-4)

LP: Billingsley (4-5)

S: Reed (8)

* Alexei Ramirez was 2-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI's today.

* Humber's RBI single was the first hit of his career.

* The Indians lost to the Pirates, but the Tigers beat the Rockies. The Sox are back to 1.5 games ahead of Cleveland and 4 ahead of Detroit in the A.L. Central.

* Jose Quintana takes the mound tomorrow vs. Chris Capuano as the Sox look to take the series and even up the road trip at 3-3.

Record: 35-30 | Box