Offense now making Guillen happy
White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen started the week teed off. Now his team is teeing off, and creating a little separation in the American League Central standings.
The Minnesota Twins came to Chicago on Friday night trying to cut into the White Sox' division lead only to watch the once-maligned White Sox offense batter their pitching staff for 4 home runs and 16 hits.
With winds gusting out at 38 mph, Joe Crede's perfect 4-for-4 night with 2 home runs led the White Sox to a 10-6 triumph, their fourth straight since Guillen's blowup Sunday.
The White Sox have scored 31 runs in those 4 wins after plating only 4 in the three-game losing streak that prompted Guillen's outburst.
"I want some offense; they make me shut up," Guillen said. "I got some offense."
The White Sox upped their lead to 3½ games, matching their biggest of the season. The series continues today through Monday, giving fans three chances to better the 26,459 who turned out Friday to see the Central's top two teams.
In addition to Crede's homers, Carlos Quentin hit his 16th longball, Jermaine Dye hit his 10th and every starter except Jim Thome had at least 1 hit. Crede returned after missing Thursday's win over Kansas City with a sore right wrist.
"I told Ozzie I could manage the thing," Crede said. "I think we're getting those big hits now. That's what it's going to take for us."
Javier Vazquez spotted the Twins a 3-0 lead in the third, when Carlos Gomez homered, and Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau banged back-to-back RBI doubles.
The Twins pounded 12 hits of their own, including 9 off Vazquez, on a great night to be a hitter.
"In the summer we have to be careful in this ballpark," Guillen said. "With the wind blowing out you have to be better offensively."
A week ago, a 3-run deficit might have been too much for the White Sox' flailing offense. Not anymore.
"The hitters are getting their confidence back, their swagger back, everybody is happy to see that," Vazquez said.
Runs in the third and fourth cut the Twins' lead to 3-2. The White Sox came out swinging in the fifth, scoring 6 runs while seeing only 8 pitches.
Nick Swisher and Crede singled to start the inning. Alexei Ramirez's bunt single loaded the bases. After Cabrera tied the game with a single, A.J. Pierzynski pumped his fist pulling into second base with a 2-run double that gave the Sox a 5-3 lead and knocked out starter Nick Blackburn (4-4).
Carlos Quentin capped the first-pitch feast, greeting Juan Rincon with a drive to deep right field that went off and over Michael Cuddyer's glove for a 3-run homer.
Perhaps nobody enjoyed the onslaught more than hitting coach Greg Walker, who found himself in the middle of the firestorm Guillen created. Walker said he was most pleased with Paul Konerko's 2 singles on off-speed pitches, and Nick Swisher's 4 at-bats.
"Those are the best at-bats he's had since the season started," Walker said.
Like Guillen, Walker also was able to laugh about the past week.
"You can blame Jerry Reinsdorf for hiring all of us," Walker said. "We're a little dysfunctional around here."
Dysfunctional, maybe. First place, no doubt. And growing.
White Sox 10, Twins 6
At the plate: Joe Crede blasted 2 home runs for the seventh time in his career and first time since Aug. 23, 2006, against Detroit. It also marked Crede's seventh 4-hit game. Orlando Cabrera had 3 hits, and A.J. Pierynski, Carlos Quentin and Paul Konerko had 2. Quentin and Jermaine Dye homered. The White Sox did not strike out for the first time since Sept. 29, 2005, against Detroit, the day they clinched the division title.
On the mound: Javier Vazquez improved to 6-4 without his best stuff, allowing 9 hits and 4 runs in 51/3 innings. Octavio Dotel stranded the bases loaded in the sixth. Matt Thornton and Scott Linebrink both worked perfect innings, then Esteban Loaiza gave up a 2-run homer in the ninth in his first White Sox appearance since July 28, 2004.
-- John Lemon