Ventura shocked Sox are still in first place

Before Monday night’s game against the Indians, manager Robin Ventura was asked if he was surprised the White Sox were still in first place despite a five-game losing streak.

“Yeah,” Ventura said.

This is a crazy time of the season, and you never know what’s going to happen.

The Sox finally snapped their losing streak Monday thanks to Adam Dunn’s 2 home runs, and they still hold a 1-game lead over the Tigers with nine to play.

Even though it appears the White Sox have been trying to give the AL Central lead away, Paul Konerko said that’s just how it goes in baseball.

“Sure, we want to win,” Konerko said. “Sure, they (Tigers) do, too. It looks like that, I know, with some of the games that have gone on on both sides. I’m sure it’s entertaining for the people on the outside. From the inside, it’s a grind. Everybody would like to have the answer, but we’ve just got to keep grinding along.

“Hopefully, sooner than later, we get one in a good way. We’ve just got to dial in. We’ve got to erase what happened over the weekend (swept by the Angels) with the exception of the effort that was given. We actually played the game hard. We played the game right. We just got beat.”

Added rest:Manager Robin Ventura said he#146;s strongly considering pushing Jake Peavy back one day and letting him start Thursday against Tampa Bay rather than Wednesday against Cleveland.The Sox could let Hector Santiago or Dylan Axelrod start against the Indians on Wednesday.In his last start, against the Angels on Friday, Peavy was pulled after throwing 81 pitches in 5 innings. He allowed 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks.Peavy has not faced the Rays this season. In 2 starts against the Indians, he is 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA.Stay the course:Even though the White Sox have been struggling down the stretch, manager Robin Ventura said he#146;s not planning on making any drastic changes to shake things up.Ventura is not big on team meetings, and he said now is not the time to call one.#147;We talk all the time,#148; Ventura said. #147;It doesn#146;t always have to be, #145;We#146;re all going to meet in the lobby and talk.#146; In talking to them, I don#146;t want to make it a big ... put a sign on the door that we#146;re having a session.#147;There are ways to talk with somebody without having to call them in the office all the time. We talk to them all the time, whether it#146;s on the field, in the dugout, on the plane. There are ways to do it.#148;The quote:#147;You start tensing up and I think that#146;s what a lot of people are doing. A lot of people want to do so well and they are trying so hard, me included, that you stink.#148;#151; Adam Dunn, before he hit 2 home runs Monday night, on the White Sox feeling pressure in the playoff race.BBA30012165The White Sox’s A.J. Pierzynski is out at second on a fielder’s choice as Cleveland Indian’s Asdrubal Cabrera, left, makes the tag in the fifth inning of a baseball game Monday.Associated PressBBA