Sox quickly right the ship
After absorbing an 18-9 beating from the Twins the night before, the White Sox could have still been wobbling when they reported back to work at U.S. Cellular Field on Wednesday afternoon.
Then again, under manager Robin Ventura, this team knows how to quickly get back on its feet.
“We had a tough night (Tuesday) night,” Sox starting pitcher Jake Peavy said. “The biggest thing is, you hear Robin’s postgame comments last night, we go day to day. I know that’s so cliché, but you see it today.”
Actually, an announced crowd of only 17,336 came out to see the White Sox, but they got their money’s worth from Peavy and Alex Rios in a 6-2 win over the Twins.
“Things look all right again,” Ventura said.
White Sox starters appeared to hit the wall over the past eight games, allowing 31 earned runs in 37 innings.
They needed someone to stop the slide and Peavy obliged, holding Minnesota to 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings. The right-hander won for the first time since Aug. 1, also against the Twins.
“That means absolutely nothing me,” Peavy (10-10) said. “I can honestly tell you that, for me personally to get a win, it means nothing to me. But for us to win a series like we did today and put the pressure on Detroit to have to win tonight to stay one back, it was big for us to win the series. We have to win series from here on out and that’s what we are trying to do.”
If Rios builds on Wednesday’s effort, the Sox should be in good shape.
The Sox’ right fielder hit a grand slam off Twins starter P.J. Walters in the first inning and followed with a 2-run shot off Walters in the sixth.
“I just got a few good pitches and I connected well, so that’s all you can hope for,” Rios said after establishing a career high with 6 RBI. “Hit the ball hard and see what happens.”
Rios was in a 2-for-19 slump before breaking out.
“You get through periods of time like this one and you have to stay calm and not lose your confidence,” Rios said. “Wait until it comes back and hopefully when it comes back you can stay with it.”
Rios and the rest of the White Sox will be off Thursday before opening a three-game weekend series against the Royals.
They can definitely use a breather.
“Yeah, I mean everybody’s tired in September,” Peavy said. “That’s just baseball. Everybody’s got nagging injuries and stuff going on. If you played the full season you don’t feel like it’s April. But that the same time, when you’re playing meaningful games you talk about the importance of taking care of yourself at this point in time.
“Make sure you’re getting your rest and getting treatment in the training room and staying on top of your body. This team’s got a lot left and we’ll grind it out.”
sgregor@dailyherald.com