White Sox win despite ominous start
Ian Kinsler hit John Danks' second pitch of the game over the left-field fence.
Craig Gentry, the Rangers' next batter, hit a sinking line drive and White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin made a nice rolling catch.
But Quentin had to leave the game with a sore left shoulder, and he is likely out until Tuesday, if not longer.
It was an ominous start indeed, but these are the unpredictable Sox we're talking about.
Just when you expect them to implode for good, they reverse field and do the opposite.
“Yeah, this might be the most emotionally draining team to be a part of because we get glimpses of the team that we are and then, for whatever reason, we get 10 games where we're not playing anywhere near where we should be playing,” Sergio Santos said after picking up the save in the White Sox' 3-2 win over Texas on Saturday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
“So it's tough, and that's the grind of a long season,” Santos continued. “The light at the end of the tunnel is that we're still in it and we're not out of it and we can still pick it up in this last month and get in the playoffs.”
That remains to be seen, considering the Sox are still 5 games behind the first-place Tigers in the AL Central.
But as this baffling season has shown time and again, it would be foolish to completely write off the White Sox.
“You really can't,” Danks said when asked to explain the rollercoaster ride of a season. “But I think we're getting close to the time where you can't say, ‘We have time.' Obviously we need to win ballgames, there are plenty of games against the teams we need to beat.
“But at the same we have to keep pace even when we're not playing them. We're in position. We're close enough now that we can make a move, but we're running out of time to make that move. We need to play pretty good baseball from here on out. I've been a firm believer in this team since Day One and I don't feel any different now.”
As hard as it is to believe, Alex Rios supplied the decisive hit for the Sox.
Rios replaced Quentin in right field and was greeted with the usual boos when he struck out in the first inning, grounded out in the third, and lined out in the sixth.
But Rios finally redeemed himself in the eighth inning.
After Paul Konerko singled off reliever Koji Uehara with one out, Brent Lillibridge came on to pinch-run.
Rios followed with a double into the left-field corner and Lillibridge used his standout speed to score the winning run.
“That's what I'm supposed to do,” Rios said. “I'm supposed to help the team win games. Fortunately, it happened and we are glad we won the game.”
Rios is batting .212, but he still believes in himself.
“I've never lost my confidence,” Rios said. “It's something that athletes can't do. It will bring you down. I'm just trying my best and I'm not going to quit. Even if I'm at my lowest point, I'm not going to quit. I'm ready to battle.”
And so are the White Sox — especially when you least expect it.
sgregor@dailyherald.com