Guillen's inconsistent squad settles for split in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS - Ozzie Guillen has run out of answers.
He has no clue why the White Sox play like a competitive team one day and go into offensive convulsions the next.
"It's just kind of confusing," Guillen said. "I thought we had something going on, then the next day we show up ..."
And do absolutely nothing?
"It gets to the point of a lot of frustration," Guillen said. "You try to get things going on, you wait for people to start getting on base, and they don't do it."
The Sox got it done against the rival Twins in Tuesday night's series opener, at least for one inning when they scored all of their runs in a 5-2 win at Target Field.
And it looked like the White Sox were well on their way to sweeping the two-game set on Wednesday afternoon when they scored 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk in the first inning against Carl Pavano while also stealing three bases.
Instead, the Sox disappeared after the big start and fell to Minnesota 3-2.
"This is a game we should have had," said Pierre, who had 2 steals in the first inning and scored the White Sox' first run on a throwing error by Twins catcher Joe Mauer. "We started off well and couldn't move the ball after that. (John) Danks did a great job, enough to keep us around the game. These are games you got to have, especially with the hole we dug ourselves in."
Playing a lot like they did in the Metrodome, the Twins pecked away at Danks, scoring 2 runs to tie it in the third inning on consecutive two-out RBI singles by Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer.
In the fourth, a two-out single by Denard Span scored Delmon Young and that was it.
"At times I didn't have the control that I wish I had, but all in all it was a battle and I went out there and went deep in the game and gave us a chance to win," Danks (3-2) said after pitching 7 innings and allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. "That's my job description."
The Sox put more pressure on Pavano in the second inning with 2 more hits, but they managed just 2 more the rest of the way.
"We had a good thing going early in the game, after that we couldn't do anything," Guillen said. "We couldn't get on guys on base; we continue to struggle at the plate."
It was only two games against the AL Central leaders, but the White Sox could have taken a short step toward getting back in the race.
"I think winning two would have been huge," Danks said. "We kind of told ourselves that this is as close to a must-win as you get in May. Now what are we, 8 (games) back still? We're not out of it, but we could have definitely helped ourselves a ton.
"Unfortunately we weren't able to do that."
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