Royals 2, White Sox 1, 10 innings: Go Bears

Attendance has been a pretty big problem for the White Sox this season, so much so that their starting short stop didn't even get there on time for this one. Alexei Ramirez must have thought it was a late start and was tardy. He wouldn't see any action until the 7th inning.

He didn't miss much.

It was the pitching duel you would expect when a couple of Aces like Big Train Guthrie and Hannibal Hector Santiago get together on a beautiful afternoon.

In all seriousness, Santiago really did look good in his second career start. He struck out the side in the 4th inning after a Salvador Perez base hit. Strike one was 74 mph to Moustakas, strike 3 registered at 94 according to the csn gun. Despite walking the #9 hitter to start the third and 5th innings, Screwball Santiago really stepped up to give his team a chance. While you were watching the Bears recover a fumble then score to take a 34-14 lead in their home opener, Hector turned in 4 innings of shutout ball, allowing 3 hits, 3 walks, and striking out 8.

Brian Omogrosso and Nate Jones turned in 2 scoreless innings a piece, matching Big Game Jeremy Guthrie and his 8 shut out innings.

Honestly though, you were probably better off watching Da Bears intercept the rookie QB in the end zone and returning the ball 30 yards, because there were a lot of shenanigans in this one.

The Sox managed to get the rare questionable base running cycle. A thing I just made up. Getting thrown out at the plate by the left fielder, nailed trying to go from first to third by the right fielder, getting stranded in no mans land off 1st to make the out at second, and not running out a sac bunt completing the cycle at first. Running into outs at every base is something I rather not see again, going forward.

A. J. Pierzynski was called out by Farmer and D.J. for showing up Alexei when he was gunned down by Franceour at third, but he was the one caught at second earlier.

Ray Olmedo started at short for the AWOL Alexei, and for some stupid reason was batting second. He muffed a slow grounder hit right at him before moving over to third base, and his Cardinal sin of not running a bunt out to first proabably cost the Sox the game in the 8th.

Brett Myers tried to get himself another game finished by allowing 2 runs to score in the 10th. The trick might have worked if he stopped at just one run, but Ventura came and yanked him for Leyson Septimo.

With one out and two men on in the bottom of the 10th Gordon Beckham fell behind 0-2. Of course he did. Anyway, he came through with a double making it a 2-1 game, but Alejandro De Aza and Olmedo both struck out to end it.

The Sox are back to .500 vs the Central division, and that's just not good enough if they want to win it.

Adam Dunn and Kevin Youkilis both had the weekend off. Hopefully they are ready to go and back for this upcoming all-important 4 game Tigers series that starts tomorrow.