Yankees, White Sox play Crazy 8s
NEW YORK -- Jon Garland entered Thursday's start with 44 wins since 2005, the third-highest total in baseball.
Garland's mound opponent, Roger Clemens, has had a nice little career himself.
"You have a Hall of Famer out there and a guy who's winning at least 17 games every year and doing a tremendous job,'' Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "All of a sudden, two (half) innings, 16 runs, you're scratching your head. It was ugly; a lot of ugly things happened today.''
In a marathon game at sweltering Yankee Stadium, the Sox emerged with a 13-9 victory. They also came close to making history with the Yankees after each team scored 8 runs in the second inning.
"The second inning was unbelievable,'' said White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye. "To put up an 8-spot and for them to come right back and put up an 8-spot, it seems like those first couple of innings took two hours."
The 16 combined runs in the second inning -- which took one hour to complete -- is the second most in baseball history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. On May 8, 2004, the Detroit Tigers scored 8 runs in the top of the fifth inning and the Texas Rangers answered with 10 in the bottom half.
On Thursday, the Sox battered Clemens in the second, scoring 8 runs on 9 hits. The legendary Rocket was lifted with two outs after A.J. Pierzynski capped the big inning with a 2-run single.
Maybe the long wait bothered Garland. Whatever the reason, he was just as bad as Clemens in the bottom of the second, allowing 8 runs on 9 hits while retiring just one batter.
"Bad day to be a pitcher,'' Garland said. "They're a hot team right now. I came in and watched that whole inning again, and I'm not that upset about some of the pitches I threw. They hit some good pitches. Tip your cap. Not much you can do about it.''
The White Sox did manage to keep Alex Rodriguez in the park, so he still is stuck on 499 home runs.
While there was plenty of offense on both sides, Dye was the biggest weapon.
"I'm getting into a groove,'' Dye said after hitting 2 home runs, 2 doubles and driving in 4 runs. "I'm going up there relaxed and putting everything behind me. I'm just trying to get in the mind-set of the last couple of years and get back focused. I'm just trying to have good at-bats.''
Dye hit both of his doubles in the second inning. He snapped the 8-8 tie with a 2-run homer in the fourth inning and added a solo shot in the eighth.
Dye became the first White Sox player to get 4 extra-base hits in a game since Robin Ventura on July 19, 1991, against the Milwaukee Brewers. Ventura was 4-for-6 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 6 RBI.
"J.D. had a great day; he's had a great second half,'' Guillen said. "He's been playing great since he's back in the lineup from his injury. His legs are stronger now and he's doing a tremendous job.''
White Sox 13, Yankees 9
At the plate: The Sox sent 14 hitters to the plate in the second inning, scoring 8 runs on 9 hits while knocking Roger Clemens out of the game. In the bottom of the second, the Yankees answered with 8 runs on 9 hits while sending 12 hitters to the plate and knocking out Jon Garland.
On the mound: Garland lasted just 11/3 innings, tying the shortest start of his career; he also went 11/3 innings at Texas on May 12, 2001. Over his last 6 starts, Garland has allowed 33 earned runs over 292
-- Scot Gregor