Swisher's swat wins it in 14th inning
Ozzie Guillen was at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday night, but the bad boy amongst major-league managers watched the game from chairman Jerry Reinsdorf's box.
Guillen, slapped with a two-game suspension earlier in the day, was predictably bored in the early stages of the White Sox' series opener against the Tigers.
He was undoubtedly frustrated, too, as Detroit feasted on some more shaky starting pitching from the Sox - this time from Gavin Floyd - while rolling out to a 6-1 lead.
But as the game moved into early Wednesday morning, Guillen left the Cell with a bounce in his step, thanks to Nick Swisher's 3-run homer in the bottom of the 14th inning that lifted the White Sox to a 10-8 win.
The walk-off blast, a 405-foot shot off Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya, snapped the Sox' losing streak at two.
In the top of the 14th, Placido Polanco's 2-run homer off Matt Thornton put the Tigers in front 8-6.
The Sox made it 8-7 in the bottom of the inning when Orlando Cabrera singled with one out and went to third on Carlos Quentin's double.
After Jermaine Dye reached first on an error by shortstop Edgar Renteria, Jim Thome struck out and Swisher went deep.
Guillen's uniform was laid over his usual seat in the Sox' dugout, but he won't be back in the flesh until Thursday's game against Detroit.
According to a source, Guillen was initially given a four-game suspension for his actions on and off the field at Kansas City on Sunday.
After stating his case with officials from the league office, Guillen's punishment was reduced to two games along with an undisclosed fine.
Royals catcher Miguel Olivo and starting pitcher Zack Greinke were each given five-game suspensions, and K.C. manager Trey Hillman was suspended for one game.
Olivo charged White Sox relief pitcher D.J. Carrasco after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning.
Warnings were issued, and Olivo and Guillen were ejected from the game.
Guillen appeared to make contact with home-plate umpire Tim Timmons, and he slapped the umpire's hand after repeatedly being poked by Timmons.
After the game, Guillen went off on Timmons, claiming there was no way Carrasco was throwing at Olivo since the bases were loaded.
After he was done talking to the media after Sunday's 14-3 loss to the Royals, crew chief Gary Cederstrom came entered the Sox' clubhouse and apologized for Carrasco's ejection from the game.
"(MLB) thought I said the wrong thing through the media, but I just want to make it clear, when I talked to the media Sunday, it was right before the (Cederstrom) came out and apologized,'' Guillen said. "It was too late. I already talked to the media and it was a little too late to respond after they misjudged that play.''
During his postgame media session, Guillen also said he has ordered Sox pitchers to throw at opposing hitters before, he strongly inferred the bad blood with the Royals was going to boil again and he also criticized Mark Teahen for trying to bunt with a 6-0 lead.
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