|
|
|
|
 |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Weekly Lineup Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search Clubhouses |
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| |
Sunday, Sep. 24 2:05pm ET
White Sox enjoy a subdued celebration | |||||
|
| ||||||
|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- So what if the Chicago White Sox didn't win and storm the field in a traditional celebration? They still clinched the AL Central on Sunday -- that's what mattered most. "We had a chance to do it on the field and fell apart, but we'll take it," first baseman Paul Konerko said after Sunday's 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins. "We didn't win the division because of one day. It was won over six months." Matt Lawton hit a two-out homer in the 10th to win it, a few minutes after the scoreboard showed Kansas City beat second-place Cleveland, eliminating the second-place Indians from division contention. A large contingent of sign-toting Chicago fans among a small Metrodome crowd came to their feet to cheer when the score popped up. The White Sox saw it, as well. "We've been pushing and pushing. I never thought we'd get back this quickly," said Frank Thomas, the lone remaining active player from the White Sox's last first-place team, in 1993. "This is special." Even after Lawton's homer, the White Sox met in front of their dugout to exchange and hugs. Yards away, Lawton was mobbed by his teammates at the plate. "I've never seen a celebration by both teams when the game ends," White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said. Players returned from the frenzied clubhouse to the field and mingled in front of their fans, spraying champagne and throwing hats into the stands. Konerko took a beer and circled the bases, sliding into home. "It's a good feeling when you've got 10 million people telling you that you can't do something and you go out and do it anyway," Konerko said. "I can't imagine a team doing this with more teamwork or against more odds." Spot starter Sean Lowe limited the Twins to one hit in six innings and left with a 5-0 lead. But the Twins pounded three rookie relievers to tie the game, scoring four in the seventh and another in the eighth. "It's better if you win the game and celebrate in the middle of the field," said shortstop Jose Valentin, one of the team's key of-season acquisitions. "But we won. Kansas City helped us. You got to celebrate, no matter how." Charles Johnson drove in three runs as the White Sox finally solved longtime nemesis Joe Mays and appeared on the way to an easy win. But rookies Mark Buehrle and Lorenzo Barcelo were roughed up in the bottom of the seventh. Corey Koskie hit an RBI single off Buehrle, and Barcelo gave up a three-run homer to A.J. Pierzynski that made it 5-4. Pinch-hitter Torii Hunter tripled to lead off the eighth off another rookie, Kelly Wunsch, and scored on Denny Hocking's single to tie the game at 5-5. Then Lawton hit his 13th homer, a drive off rookie Kevin Beirne (1-2). "I looked up at the scoreboard and saw Kansas City was up 9-0 and said, `They're going to celebrate anyway,' " Lawton said. "A lot of guys said, `Don't let it happen here.' But it did." Eddie Guardado (6-3) got the victory with two innings of one-hit relief. Even as the lead slipped away, White Sox manager Jerry Manuel was getting emotional on the bench. "I was just sitting there reflecting back on the season, knowing how close we were, whether we got the win or not," Manuel said. "When that score was going up, even while we were still playing, there was still that effort. It's been an amazing year." Joe Mays entered with a career record of just 13-25 but was 4-0 against the White Sox, including three victories at the Metrodome, where he had allowed them just three earned runs in 24 1/3 innings. And he kept them off balance and scoreless again until the fifth. Herbert Perry singled but hurt a hamstring while running to first and left. Pinch-runner Greg Norton moved up on passed ball and scored on Johnson's looping two-out single. The White Sox hustled and drove out Mays with four runs in the seventh. Carlos Lee singled and raced to third on a single by Konerko. When center fielder John Barnes was slow relaying the ball to second, Lee sprinted home. On the throw to the plate, Konerko took second. Chris Singleton followed with an RBI single and then Johnson, a member of the Marlins' World Series winners in 1997 when Manuel was a bench coach with Florida, hit a two-run double that finished Mays. Game notesThomas snapped an 0-for-9 skid with a soft single in the sixth. It was Thomas' career-high 186th hit of the season, one more than he had in 1992. ... James Baldwin threw on the side Sunday and despite a persistent pain in his shoulder hopes to rejoin the rotation Friday against the Royals. ... The status of manager Tom Kelly, his 14th full season, is still not clear. His contract expires after this season. ... The White Sox and Twins don't play again this season but they could see each other Monday in Cleveland where the Indians are host to both teams in an unusual day-night doubleheader: a makeup with the White Sox in the afternoon and the regularly scheduled game with the Twins at night. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Chi. White Sox Clubhouse Minnesota Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 1 Boston 0
Minnesota 6 AUDIO/VIDEO   Frank Thomas is happy to be back in the winner's circle.wav: 56 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is happy to see Frank Thomas in the playoffs.wav: 111 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 | |||||