Twins sweep White Sox; now can we call it a season?
It's over, finally.
The White Sox played their last game of the season against the Twins on Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Naturally they lost, 8-5, but at least the Sox put up a better fight against their AL Central rivals after going down 9-3 in the first two games of the anticlimactic series.
And Paul Konerko was able to stay in the game after getting hit on the left side of the face by a pitch from Minnesota starter Carl Pavano in the first inning.
White Sox starter Mark Buehrle did his part by drilling the Twins' Michael Cuddyer in the back leading off the second.
And Konerko exacted even more revenge when he homered off Pavano on the first pitch he saw in the third inning.
"Thank God nothing was broken," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Konerko. "It's swollen a little bit, but he didn't want to come out of the game. I hope players look at themselves in the mirror and see what this guy did. He's an MVP candidate and he stepped up like a man and played the game."
With the sweep, Minnesota finished the season with a 13-5 record against the Sox while extending its division lead to 9 games. The Twins' magic number is 8.
Well on the way to its sixth Central title in nine years, Minnesota certainly has the Sox' number. Since 2001, the White Sox have had just one winning season against the Twins, and that was the year ('05) they won the World Series.
So, what exactly is Minnesota's secret to seemingly being successful year in and year out?
"I'd say it's really three things," Cuddyer said. "First, we have really good guys here. Second, you have to be smart and know what's going on out on the field. Third, no egos."
Cuddyer didn't mention the Twins' most obvious attribute - talent.
"They do a lot of little things well," Konerko said. "They are a good balanced team. It's never just one thing when a team is a good ballclub. They're just a solid team that does a lot of things you need to do to win games.
"We were that team a lot this year. There are teams in the league that are the same. It's a matter of being consistent and doing it enough over the course of 162."
Guillen said it should come as no surprise the Twins are running away in the division considering they entered Thursday's game ranked second in the American League in hitting, pitching and defense.
"A lot of people talk about Tampa Bay, New York, Texas," Guillen said. "I don't hear anybody giving those guys (Twins) the credit they deserve. They are playing well all year long. They are playing without a couple players (all-stars Justin Morneau and Joe Nathan) and they still produce. They find players out of nowhere to play good. I hate talking about the Twins because a lot of people think I'm a Twins fan.
"I see a lot of comments out there that Ozzie gives them too much credit. No, I think that's the way it is. If they don't want to hear it from me, somebody has to say it. They're good."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Scot Gregor's game tracker</p>
<p class="News"><b>Tough enough:</b> Paul Konerko was hit on the left side of the face by a pitch from Minnesota starter Carl Pavano in the first inning. He stayed in the game and homered on Pavano's first pitch in the third.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Fading away: </b>Sox starting pitchers are 0-7 with a 7.08 ERA in the last 11 games. Mark Buehrle took the loss Thursday after allowing 6 runs on 8 hits in 5 innings.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Manny watch:</b> Manny Ramirez was 1-for-2 with 3 walks.</p>
<p class="factboxheadblack">Scouting report</p>
<p class="News">White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field</p>
<p class="News"><b>TV:</b> Channel 26 Friday; Channel 32 Saturday; ESPN Sunday</p>
<p class="News"><b>Radio:</b> WSCR 670-AM</p>
<p class="News"><b>Pitching matchups:</b> The Sox' Edwin Jackson (3-1, 2.94 ERA) vs. Max Scherzer (10-10, 3.60) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; TBA vs. Justin Verlander (16-8, 3.48) Saturday at 3:10 p.m.; John Danks (13-11, 3.60) vs. Jeremy Bonderman (8-9, 5.04) Sunday at 7:05 p.m.</p>
<p class="News"><b>At a glance:</b> The White Sox wrap up their homestand with three games against Detroit. They are 8-7 vs. the Tigers this season (3-3 at home). The Sox' playoff hopes were crushed at Detroit last week when they lost three straight at Comerica Park after winning the series opener. Either Carlos Torres or Lucas Harrell is likely to start Saturday in place of injured Freddy Garcia (back).</p>
<p class="News"><b>Next:</b> Oakland Athletics, Monday-Wednesday at the Coliseum</p>
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<li><a href="/story/?id=408779">Konerko finds no consolation in Sox' failure to meet team goals <span class="date">[9/16/10]</span></a></li>
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