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Friday, Sep. 29 8:05pm ET
White Sox return to winning ways | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Clinching the AL Central title early gave the Chicago White Sox the luxury of resting injured players and realigning the starting rotation. But manager Jerry Manuel wanted to win, too. The White Sox won 6-4 over Kansas City on Friday night for the first time since clinching the division on Sept. 24, snapping a five-game losing streak. "I don't like losing five (games). I don't like losing one," Manuel said. Magglio Ordonez hit a tiebreaking two-run home run that lifted the White Sox to the victory, ending their longest losing skid of the season. "I feel good about the fact that we're there (in the playoffs)," Chicago's Paul Konerko said. "It appears (Oakland and Seattle) are playing better baseball than we are. But we played well early. Right now, we're gathering steam." Ordonez's 32nd homer came with two outs and the game tied at 4 in the seventh, after Frank Thomas walked on four pitches. Ordonez hit the first pitch off Dan Reichert (8-10) to give Chicago a 6-4 lead. Chris Singleton had tied the game at 3 in the second inning with a three-run inside the park homer. It was the second inside the park home run this season by the White Sox. Chad Bradford (1-0) picked up the win in 1 2-3 innings of one-hit relief. Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for his 34th save and 12th straight. Jim Parque, who may start Game 1 of the AL Division Series, tuned up by throwing 54 pitches over three innings. He gave up three runs on eight hits. "He was OK. I don't know if he was as sharp as he's been in the past," Manuel said. "Once the adrenalin gets flowing (in the playoffs), I think he can execute better." Parque may be moved up in the playoff rotation if Mike Sirotka does not recover from a hyperextended left elbow suffered Thursday. The White Sox will know more about Sirotka's availability after he throws on the side either Saturday or Sunday. "You know that if there's any human way for those guys to get out there, they'll do it," Konerko said of the injured pitchers which include Sirotka, Cal Eldred and James Baldwin. "We've had our horses go down, but it's a team thing and there's nothing tighter than this team," said Sean Lowe, who may start Game 2. "I wouldn't put anything past the White Sox," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "In a short series, anything can happen and they have as much a chance to win as anybody." Reichert lost his fourth straight start, giving up six runs on nine hits and three walks over 6 2-3 innings. Carlos Febles, Johnny Damon and Rey Sanchez each hit RBI singles off Parque in the Royals' second to go ahead 3-0. The White Sox answered in their half when, with runners at first and second and none out, Singleton hit a 3-2 pitch from Reichert that dropped in front of a sliding Damon in center. The ball rolled all the way to the wall and Singleton raced home for the first inside the park homer by a White Sox at new Comiskey Park. "When I hit the ball, I saw the way (Damon) went for it and I knew I had a chance," Singleton said. "Once I got to third base, I looked to see what (coach) Wallace Johnson was doing and he was waving his arm." "I probably could've played it into a double but I tried for it," said Damon, who was playing in left center. "I didn't see it that great and the ball tricked me." Rookie Joe Crede gave Chicago a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly, his first career RBI. The Royals tied the game at 4 on Sanchez's RBI single in the seventh off Lowe. Game notesWhen Damon scored in the second, it was his 134th run, setting a single-season club record. The old mark was 133 set by Willie Wilson in 1980. "It's nice to be on top, to have the record," Damon said. "It means the guys after me in the lineup, (Mike) Sweeney, (Jermaine) Dye, have done a great job." ... Parque finished the regular season at 13-6 with a 4.28 ERA, setting career highs in wins and innings pitched (187). ... Konerko hit the White Sox's other inside the park homer this year on April 11 at Tampa Bay. ... 2B Ray Durham played for the first time in a week after suffering bruised ribs in a collision at home plate Sept. 22 in Minnesota. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Kansas City Clubhouse Chi. White Sox Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 13 NY Yankees 2
Chi. White Sox 6
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