As for the game, the June Swoon finally came to an end with another beating at the hands of the Chicago White Sox. With Pedro Martinez on the disabled list, the White Sox feasted on spot starter Hipolito Pichardo (2-1, 3.38 ERA) and anyone that came out of the bullpen. The White Sox pounded out 10 runs on 13 hits to slam home the fact they're contenders in the AL Central. The BoSox offense could only muster four runs as the dismal month came to an end with a 10-4 loss to Chicago at Commiskey Park.
Jim Parque got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jose Offerman flied out to center to start. Jason Varitek singled to right but Nomar Garciaparra flied out to center. Carl Everett singled to right but Morgan Burkhart grounded back to the mound to end the inning. Pichardo got the ball in the bottom of the first and Ray Durham flied out to left to start. Jose Valentin also flied out to left but Frank Thomas singled to center. Magglio Ordonez walked but Chris Singleton grounded into a force to end the inning.
Brian Daubach grounded out to third to start the top of the second before Mike Stanley struck out swinging. Izzy Alcantara walked but Manny Alexander struck out swinging to end the inning. Pichardo cruised in the bottom of the second as Carlos Lee took strike three to start. Greg Norton struck out swinging and Herbert Perry grounded out to second to end the inning.
Offerman flied out to center to start the top of the third before Varitek grounded out to third. Nomar drew a walk but Everett whiffed to end the inning. The ChiSox struck first in the bottom of the third as Brook Fordyce singled to right to start. Durham flied out to left but Valentin doubled to right. Thomas was intentionally walked to load the bases and Ordonez beat out a double play ball to score Fordyce with the first run. Singleton doubled to left to clear the bases but Lee grounded out to short to end the inning with the ChiSox ahead 3-0.
The BoSox looked to fight back when Burkhart singled to center to start the top of the fourth but Daubach banged into a double play. Stanley took strike three to end the inning, so much for that rally.
The White Sox added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth although Norton flied out to left to start. Perry grounded out to first but Fordyce hit a home run all the way to Belgium to increase the lead. Durham tripled into the right field corner but Valentin grounded out to first to end the inning with the White Sox ahead 4-0.
The BoSox struck back in the top of the fifth as Alcantara bashed his first career home run to start. Alexander grounded out to short and Offerman flied out to center, but Varitek reached on an error by Valentin to continue the inning. Nomar singled to left and Everett was plunked to load the bases before Burkhart singled home Varitek and Nomar to cut the lead. Daubach flied out to left to end the inning but the BoSox were down 4-3.
Pichardo was done after 4 innings and his replacement Bryce Florie wasn't much better in the bottom of the fifth. Thomas crushed a home run all the way to Sweden to increase the lead. Ordonez doubled to left and moved to third on the Singleton grounder. Lee then chased Florie with a home run all the way to Finland to ice the game. Rheal Cormier came in and got Norton swinging but Perry singled to left. Perry swiped second but Fordyce watched strike three go by to end the inning with Chicago ahead 7-3.
Jeff Abbott came in for Ordonez to start the top of the sixth and Stanley flied out to center to start. Alcantara singled to left but Alexander popped up to short. Offerman singled to left and Bill Simas came in to pitch to Varitek. Jason grounded out to second to end the inning. The ChiSox tagged Cormier in the bottom of the sixth although Durham flied out to right to start. Valentin grounded out to third but Thomas bashed a home run all the way to Norway to add to the lead. That was it for Cormier as John Wasdin came in to get Abbott to ground out to short to end the inning with Chiago ahead 8-3.
Nomar doubled to left to start the top of the seventh but Everett struck out swinging. Burkhart popped up to left in foul territory and Daubach flied out to left to end the inning. Wasdin got Singleton to hit one up the elevator shaft to start the bottom of the seventh before Lee popped up to third in foul territory. Norton struck out swinging to end the inning.
Jeff Frye pinch hit for Stanley to start the top of the eighth and struck out swinging. Alcantara flied out to left but Scott Hatteberg pinch hit for Alexander and swatted his third home run of the season to cut the lead in half. Offerman flied out to left to end the inning but it was 8-4 Chicago.
Wilton Veras took over at third with Offerman going to first and Frye to second to start the bottom of the eighth. Perry singled to left but Fordyce crushed yet another home run to wrap up the scoring. Durham whiffed, Valentin grounded out to second and Thomas flied out to center to end the inning with Chiago ahead 10-4.
Mercifully the game ended in the top of the ninth with Bob Howry on the mound. Varitek whiffed but Nomar extended the agony with a base hit to left. Everett earned a hat trick with a swinging strikeout and Burkhart went down hacking to end the game. The White Sox had won it 10-4.
Jackass of the Night is Bryce Florie. The BoSox had clawed back into the game but Florie served up two home runs to put the game out of reach.
The Good:
Nomar Garciaparra was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Morgan Burkhart was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Nomar Garciaparra was 3 for 4 with a run scored.
Morgan Burkhart was 2 for 5 with 2 rbis.
Izzy Alcantara was 2 for 3 with a walk and first career home run.
Scott Hatteberg belted a pinch hit home run.
The Bad:
Brian Daubach was 0 for 4.
Mike Stanley was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Jeff Frye struck out as a pinch hitter.
Manny Alexander was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Hipolito Pichardo took the loss by allowing 4 runs in 4 innings of work.
Rheal Cormier allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings.
John Wasdin allowed 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Jose Offerman was just 1 for 5.
Jason Varitek was just 1 for 5 with a run scored.
Carl Everett was just 1 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts but was hit with a pitch.
Honorable Mention:
Wilton Veras played third base in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Final Thoughts:
That month made the Sox go from World Series contenders at the start to belonging in last place at the end. Its very easy to see why, their pitching has been horrendous and their offense way too streaky. Losing Pedro Martinez to the disabled list didn't help but when the rest of your rotation is what appears to be a washed up Ramon Martinez, Pete Schourek and Tim Wakefield.....that's certainly not World Series material. There's still room to make some trades or see what the kids in Pawtucket have to offer but right now these guys couldn't beat a high school team. The Sox will be bringing up one of the kids to start tomorrow so there ya go. The only saving grace is the New York Yankees aren't off to a good start either so the Sox are beyond lucky to be this bad but still close enough to get back in first. The bullpen was downright offensive in this one and the sooner some of those bums are gone, the better. The Sox ended the month at 38-37, 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Red Sox look to rebound tomorrow against the White Sox when 22 year old Paxton Crawford makes his major league debut against Mike Sirotka of Chicago. The game begins at 1:00 PM Eastern time at Commiskey Park.
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