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Friday, Jul. 14 8:05pm ET
Eldred leaves with pain in elbow | |||||
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CHICAGO (AP) -- Before the All-Star break, it seemed everything was going the Chicago White Sox's way. They were getting the breaks, playing good baseball and staying healthy. Now, in two short days, things are heading in the other direction. The St. Louis Cardinals, a division leader in their own league, handed the White Sox their fourth straight loss Friday night, 9-4. The loss was all the more disturbing for Chicago when Cal Eldred, who had 10 first-half wins despite a long history of arm problems, left after experiencing pain in his elbow during the fifth inning. Eldred felt a stinger-like sensation along the nerve in his elbow after throwing a pitch to Eduardo Perez, and will be examined again Saturday by doctors. He is hoping it was a one-time flare-up that will not cause him to miss a start. "The pain was just like getting shocked. Hopefully that's the extent of it," he said. The White Sox have been shocked two games in a row by the Cardinals. "We just happen to be struggling at this time, and they are a good veteran club that if you make a mistake, they can do damaging things," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. "I'm not overly concerned. My main concern through a struggle is that we remain healthy, and when Cal Eldred becomes a question, then that is a reason for concern." The White Sox, who led by 10½ games at the All-Star break, have lost two games off their lead in the two games since. Ray Lankford delivered a go-ahead seventh-inning triple, Perez hit St. Louis' club-record eighth grand slam this season, and Garrett Stephenson pitched eight strong innings for the Cardinals in their second straight lopsided win. "I hope Eldred's not hurt," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "Anytime a bullpen has to pitch that many innings, they're vulnerable. If Eldred had stayed in the game, it would have been very tight." Eldred, who underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery in 1995, has been on the DL five times since that season, but was healthy and one of the White Sox's biggest surprises. "The fact that it hurts is what goes through your mind initially," Eldred said. "And what goes through our mind is walking off. I realize I've done that one too many times in my career and hopefully it's not a big deal, but I've walked off and haven't walked back to a field in 13 months, so those things go through your mind. "I know how I feel now and I feel strong. And if anybody should know how he feels, it should be me. I've been through enough." Eldred got his fourth no-decision Friday night -- and third straight -- during a two-month stretch in which he's 8-0. He hasn't lost since May 10. Stephenson (10-5), who started the season 8-0, but lost five of his previous six decisions, got the victory, allowing six hits, including Frank Thomas' two-run homer in the first. Stephenson struck out two and walked one. "I gave up two runs before I even got into the game," Stephenson said. "But I felt if we held them, we'd win. I didn't expect nine runs. But then Eduardo hits the grand slam and I'll take it." Kelly Wunsch (3-3) hit Fernando Tatis with a pitch to start the seventh before Lankford tripled into the right-field corner to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead. Eric Davis followed with a pinch-hit single for a two-run cushion. Davis drew a bases-loaded walk off Bobby Howry to put St. Louis up 5-2 in the eighth, and then Perez -- activated Thursday when Mark McGwire went on the DL -- drove his first homer of the season to center in his fifth at-bat to make it 9-2. Paul Konerko's RBI single off Alan Benes and Chris Singleton's sacrifice fly against Dave Veres in the ninth cut it to 9-4. Thomas' 27th homer allowed him to pass Luke Appling as the White Sox's career RBI leader. Appling set the previous club record of 1,116 from 1930-50 in 2,422 games. Thomas needed just 1,459 games to overtake him. The Cardinals cut it to 2-1 in the third on a hit batsman, an error by Chicago second baseman Ray Durham and Lankford's RBI single. Jim Edmonds hit his 26th homer to tie it 2-2 in the fifth, and three batters later, Eldred left after delivering a 2-1 pitch to Perez. He stepped off the mound and couldn't continue after meeting with Manuel and trainer Herm Schneider. Game notesPerez's grand slam was the Cards' second in two nights. Shawon Dunston had one Thursday night in a 13-5 rout. The previous team record of seven slams in a season was set in 1961. ... Stephenson is the Cardinals' third 10-game winner, joining Darryl Kile and Andy Benes. ... Tatis, who homered twice Thursday night, was twice hit by pitches Friday. ... NBA free agent Eddie Jones, being recruited by the Chicago Bulls, threw out the first pitch. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard St. Louis Clubhouse Chi. White Sox Clubhouse Big Mac off track: McGwire goes on 15-day DL
RECAPS NY Mets 6 Boston 4
St. Louis 9 AUDIO/VIDEO   Manager Jerry Manuel is more concerned with his team's health than a losing streak.wav: 176 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 | |||||