White Sox sail behind Sale
What a difference a day makes.
On Tuesday night, starting pitcher Gavin Floyd couldn't get anybody out and the White Sox' offense couldn't get anything going in a 9-2 loss to a subpar Twins team.
Not to worry.
"These guys are resilient," manager Robin Ventura said after the Sox bounced back with a 6-0 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field. "They find a way to come back. As difficult as yesterday was all the way around, to be able to bounce back and put together a game like this all the way around, pitching and the offense, is nice to see. They're just tough that way."
Floyd was soft while allowing 9 runs in just 3 innings.
Chris Sale, Wednesday's White Sox starter, was not.
"That young buck has a (heck) of an arm," new Sox third baseman Orlando Hudson marveled. "He just slings that bad boy ... God!"
In his best start of the season, Sale pitched 7 innings and allowed just 2 singles.
Only one Twins runner advanced past first base, and 19 of Sale's 21 outs were either strikeouts (6) or groundouts.
Obviously, the Sox are very happy the 23-year-old lefty is healthy and pitching in the rotation instead of the bullpen.
"Part of pitching is finding a groove and rolling with it," Sale said after improving his record to 5-2 (2.50 ERA). "I felt early that I got into a groove and A.J. (Pierzynski) back there was calling one of the best games I've seen him call in a while. It was fun to be out there."
After Tuesday night's flip, it was a fun game all around. Even the canines out in the bleachers for the annual Dog Day promotion seemed to be having a good time.
For as good as Sale was, Paul Konerko deserves even more praise. The White Sox' captain was 3-for-4 with a solo home run in the win.
Konerko moved past the Rangers' Josh Hamilton into first place among American League batting leaders with a .381 average. Hamilton is hitting .379.
Even though he was hit with a Jeff Samardzija pitch above the left eye Friday at Wrigley Field and missed the next two games, Konerko is batting .567 (17-for-30) with 3 home runs and 7 RBI during a nine-game hitting streak.
Naturally, Konerko tried downplaying his personal exploits.
"You always grind it out," he said. "You want the results, but if you're not getting them, if you feel good, you are getting some hits to fall, you can't let that sway you that you are getting them.
"You keep working and grinding, and I really wasn't that good the whole night. One swing at the end where it turns into a home run and it turns into a good night. But I was feeling for it all night.
"I had a bad first at-bat with guys on, but it was a good team win. Everyone contributed. The defense was good as far as turning (3) double plays. For Sale, it was big for him. After last night's game he came out and we knew he was going to shut the door."
sgregor@dailyherald.com