Tough luck for Buehrle as Sox can't hold on
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - After staging late rallies and winning the first two games of the series against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, the White Sox got a taste of their own medicine Thursday night.
Leading 1-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, Sox starter Mark Buehrle gave every indication he was going to make the slim edge hold up.
"Everything happened so quick,'' Buehrle said. "I was pitching well and it seemed like in five seconds, we're down 4-1 and lose the game. The end result is not what we wanted, but that's why you play nine innings.''
John Buck led off the eighth with a single off Buehrle, and Joey Gathright came on to pinch run.
Kansas City's next hitter, David DeJesus, grounded a ball that was handled by shortstop Orlando Cabrera after deflecting off Buehrle's glove.
Cabrera flipped to Alexei Ramirez to force Gathright out at second base, but first baseman Paul Konerko couldn't squeeze Ramirez's throw to complete the double play.
After the game the official scorer reversed the call from a straight fielder's choice to an error on Konerko.
"It was one of those plays you want to make,'' said Konerko, who almost caught the slightly high and wide peg from Ramirez. "It's a play you can make for sure. It's kind of a tough error. Whatever. The play wasn't made.''
Mike Avilés followed with a double past diving third baseman Joe Crede to score DeJesus and tie the game, and Octavio Dotel relieved Buehrle.
A night after he struck out the side and earned his first save of the season, Dotel got Mark Grudzielanek to pop out to Konerko, but Jose Guillen followed with an RBI double to put the Royals in front.
Boone Logan relieved Dotel, and Mark Teahen greeted the left-hander with a 2-run inside-the-park homer to complete the scoring.
Teahen drove a ball between Nick Swisher in center field and Jermaine Dye in right. Swisher made the relay throw to Ramirez, but the White Sox' second baseman hesitated and Teahen kept running.
"Crazy game,'' Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "One thing, give credit to them (Royals) because they kept battling. Mark was throwing the ball real good and all of a sudden - It was a great ballgame.''
For the most part, Buehrle was pretty great while pitching 7 innings and allowing 2 runs (none earned) on 6 hits.
Kansas City starter Zack Greinke was also impressive, working 7 innings and allowing just 1 run, a 434-foot solo homer to Jermaine Dye in the fourth inning.
"He's got a great arm, a real good feel for pitching,'' said Konerko, who had 1 of the White Sox' 6 hits off Greinke. "Anybody that can throw 95 (mph) and then drop a 75-mph curveball for strike one, he's just got great stuff. He comes right at you. We've seen him really improve the last few years.''