Contreras sharp in 'huge' 4-2 win over Royals

Posted August 19, 2009 11:00 pm

Scot Gregor

The Royals' Yuniesky Betancourt reacts to striking out against White Sox starting pitcher Jose Contreras in the third inning. Associated Press

Ozzie Guillen often says things other major-league managers would be hesitant to even think, but the White Sox' skipper does trot out the "we play one game at a time" cliché a few times a week.

Whether the Sox are going good, bad or somewhere in between, Guillen rarely puts too much emphasis on one particular game.

But before the White Sox played the Kansas City Royals at U.S. Cellular Field Wednesday afternoon, Guillen broke from the regular routine.

"This is a big game for us," he said. "A huge game."

Why this one?

Maybe because the Sox squandered a 4-1 lead and lost to the Royals 5-4 the night before, dropping another game behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.

Maybe because KC was starting ace Zack Greinke, who took the mound with the lowest ERA (2.33) in the American League.

Maybe because White Sox starter Jose Contreras had so much to prove after failing to win a game since July 8 while going 0-4 with a 7.62 ERA in his last six outings.

"This was a must-win game," Guillen said. "It was the best pitcher in the American League against the most struggling pitcher in the American League, and the odds were against us."

Thanks to a terrific game by Contreras, Paul Konerko's clutch run-scoring double with two outs in the first inning and solo home runs off Greinke by Gordon Beckham, Carlos Quentin and Alex Rios, the Sox beat the odds - and the Royals - 4-2.

"It was a big game because they had their ace going and we had Jose, who'd been struggling a little bit here and there, and we needed him to go out and pitch well," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "We needed to win this game, have good momentum going into the off day. We went out and did it.

"With Greinke pitching, you're not going to get a whole lot of runs. We were able to hit a couple home runs off him, score a run early. The hit by Paul was huge. And then Jose went out and pitched a great game. It was a really big win."

It was especially big for Contreras (5-11), who pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 run on 3 hits while striking out eight.

"Most importantly, the team won," Contreras said through an interpreter, Ozzie Guillen Jr. "The team played strong defense and we put up enough runs."

Contreras talked to former teammate and fellow Cuban Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez before the start and apparently got some good advice.

"El Duque called me and said 'If you want to win, wear your pants up,'" said Contreras, who made the uniform adjustment. "I'm not going to change that until something else happens."

Contreras' command was an issue during his swoon, but he walked just one Kansas City hitter and threw 64 of his 97 pitches for strikes.

"He was throwing strikes," Pierzynski said. "He didn't drop down today, which was very odd. He usually drops down to rightys but he stayed up top and threw all of his pitches and he threw strikes. He was ahead in the count and when he's ahead in the count, he's good."

Freddy Garcia has joined the starting rotation and Jake Peavy isn't far behind, but the White Sox still need Contreras for the stretch run. If he can get back on a roll, the Sox could have some impressive depth.

"I'm very excited," Guillen said. "That's a lot of trying to get this guy through what he was going through. But Jose went out and threw strikes. I think everyone on the ballclub was rooting for that guy. He works so hard, does so much stuff, it's nice it happened today. Hopefully, this game turns everything around for him."

White Sox closer Bobby Jenks finishes off the Royals on Wednesday. Associated Press

Gordon Beckham, right, celebrates with teammate Jermaine Dye after hitting a solo home run against the Royals in the third. Associated Press

White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez leaps over the Kansas City Royals' Mitch Maier after forcing him out at second base in the eighth inning. Associated Press

Scot Gregor's game tracker Wednesday's grade: A. While winning his first game since July 8, Jose Contreras pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 run on 3 hits. Key moment: In the bottom of the first inning, Scott Podsednik led off with a double and advanced to third with one out. After Jermaine Dye popped out, Paul Konerko delivered an RBI double. Feeling at home: Alex Rios hit his first home run since joining the Sox, a solo shot in the seventh inning. Zack attack: Kansas City ace Zack Greinke is now a career 5-10 with a 4.22 ERA vs. the White Sox.