Konerko busts out big time
ARLINGTON, Texas - So, Paul Konerko, how did it feel to go 4-for-4 and hit a solo home run in Saturday night's 9-7 win at Rangers Ballpark?
"It definitely feels better than going 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts, I'll tell you that,'' said the White Sox' first baseman, who is now one game away from closing the book on a miserable first half.
Konerko wasn't just throwing out the "Golden Sombrero'' reference in jest. He actually accomplished the dubious feat against the Royals Wednesday night, and the Sox' captain was 0-for-4 with 3 strikeouts in Friday night's loss to Texas in the series opener.
Entering Saturday in a 2-for-15 slide since coming off the disabled list, Konerko was undoubtedly hearing all of the growing criticism.
Konerko blocked it out in the win over the Rangers. He singled his first three times up against Texas starter Kevin Millwood, walked against reliever Frank Francisco in the sixth inning and homered off Kameron Loe in the eighth.
"I felt good in batting practice,'' Konerko said. "Taking my work into the game, that's the goal, but it's something I've had a hard time doing this season.''
The Sox have occupied first place in the AL Central since May 17 despite the lack of Konerko's usual pop in the middle of the lineup.
Maybe Saturday night's eruption is a sign of better days in the second half.
"I think it was important for him,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He needed a game like that to recover his confidence. He had great at-bats. He just needs to think about one thing, do what you have to do and don't try to carry the ballclub.''
Konerko has done that quite a few times in the past. For the remainder of the regular season, he'll just try to help out where he can.
"I know at the end of the year, the back of my baseball card isn't going to be one of my better years,'' Konerko said. "But if you want to be a good team, there are a lot of ways to do it. You don't have to have a career year. You just need a lot of people to contribute. I just want to be normal, be a threat.''
John Danks has become much better than normal as a starter for the White Sox, and the left-hander continued his rise by pitching 7 innings against the Rangers and allowing 4 runs on 7 hits against a dangerous lineup.
"Awesome,'' Guillen said. "Great performance against that ballclub. To see him perform like that is something you appreciate and admire. You have to beat him - he's not going to beat himself.''
Danks, a native Texan who was traded by the Rangers to the Sox before last season, left 40 tickets for family members and friends.
"I tried to approach it like any other game,'' said Danks, who was a little shaky early and late but retired 14 straight in between. "Having all the people here, I wanted to perform well, but baseball is a business and the Rangers did what they thought they needed to do. Overall, I felt like I made some good pitches.''