White Sox should have buried Kazmir

Editor's note: Each day throughout the White Sox' playoff drive, we'll chat with Bill Melton and share his answers to key questions.

Q. The White Sox had 3 hits in their first 4 at-bats with runners in scoring position, then went 0-for-8 the rest of Game 2. How do you explain it?

A. This is the team we have. It's really what they are. It's a disappointment, but not a surprise.

It really hasn't changed since the series at Minnesota. We had Nick Blackburn on the ropes. He beat us. (Game 2 starter) Scott Kazmir should have been buried. He beat us.

What was amazing to me was we had 12 singles and that's it. We had two line-drive basehits, but we could only go one base at a time. You need a big double in that situation.

Q. On the internet, there's a "Fire CB Bucknor" petition that has 484 signatures. Based on some of his ball-strike calls in Game 2, particularly late, should the White Sox or their fans feel cheated enough to add their signatures to the list?

A. No. I don't buy any of it. And anyway, it wouldn't have made any difference.

We didn't get cheated in the first two innings when we should've gotten a lot more than 2 runs.

Guys like (Rays reliever J.P.) Howell, the umpires are going to give the advantage to guys who are around the plate.

Q. What was Ozzie Guillen saying by leaving Mark Buehrle in to start the eighth inning and go through the Rays lineup a fourth time?

A. We only had one lefty in the bullpen, Matt Thornton, and if we take a lead you want to use him then.

And Buehrle was still throwing good enough. He only had thrown 95 pitches. I believe Ozzie (Guillen) when he says he was just going with his best.

Q. You've talked before about how the Sox are 4-18 in domes and at a big disadvantage there. Does that flip into a big advantage now that the Sox are coming home?

A. Yeah, but they're down two games so they can't make any mistakes. Minnesota and Tampa Bay, they can't afford the big whammers like the Sox can and so they build for their domes.

That's what they should do because they play 81 games there, just like the Sox shouldn't be built for domes because they don't play 81 games there.

We need a better mix, that's all. The White Sox need a little more balance between power and speed.

• Former White Sox third baseman Bill Melton is Comcast SportsNet's studio analyst on "White Sox Pre-Game Live" and "White Sox Post Game Live." He led the American League with 33 homers in 1971.