Doomed in dome? Twins power past Sox in series opener
MINNEAPOLIS - The White Sox didn't come into this showdown series expecting to completely overturn their recent run of misery at the Metrodome with 3 straight wins over the Twins.
After absorbing a painfully familiar beating in the opening game, maybe the Sox can find a way to win one of the next two.
No reason to dwell much on Tuesday night's 9-3 loss, which allowed Minnesota to pull within 1 games of the White Sox in the AL Central.
Here's a quick summary:
• Before the game, Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said his comments that starter Javier Vazquez was not a big-game pitcher were "overblown."
Vazquez did very little to prove otherwise while being shelled for 5 runs on 7 hits over 4 innings.
• The bullpen, specifically Clayton Richard and Boone Logan, wasn't much better.
General manager Kenny Williams made the trip because he wants to "look in people's eyes" during the heat of the pennant race.
Logan had an overwhelming look of failure while giving up 2 home runs on 4 pitches in what could have been his last game in a Sox uniform.
• The offense was AWOL until Ken Griffey Jr. hit a 2-run homer - moving him out of a tie with Sammy Sosa and into sole possession of fifth place all time with 610 - with two outs in the ninth inning.
Your thoughts Ozzie?
"That wasn't a loss," Guillen said. "That was a total (butt)-kicking, that's what it was. We played a bad game all-around."
It was pretty much a case of business as usual at the dreaded Metrodome, where the White Sox are 1-6 for the season and 3-10 dating to last year.
"I don't know, but it's hard for a lot of people here," Vazquez said.
Downplaying an ear infection that apparently popped up Monday, Vazquez didn't look too hot while serving up a 2-run homer to Jason Kubel in the second inning.
Vazquez was even worse while yielding 3 runs on 4 hits in the fourth.
"OK stuff and bad location," Vazquez said. "A loss is a loss. The bottom line is I didn't get the job done. That's it."
Was Vazquez at all bothered by Guillen's weekend comments?
"I don't read the papers," he said.
Many fans probably are turning the page on the Sox' playoff hopes. The way the Twins have been dominating their AL Central rival on their home turf, a three-game sweep is not out of the question.
"If they think that, they should pack it in and go face Cleveland," Guillen said in reference to this weekend's home series against the Indians. "Hopefully the team bounces back tomorrow. We have (Mark) Buehrle going, and we cannot feel we lost the pennant race.
"We're still in first place, and we have to believe in ourselves."
Griffey almost seemed embarrassed to be asked about hitting his historic home run.
"I'm upset that we lost," Griffey said. "That's the most important thing, not the individual stuff. I'm here to win a championship. We've got tomorrow and we can put them back in the same situation. We just have to play our game."
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