Bullpen solid as White Sox edge Dodgers
Jun 17, 2012 - 6:35 AM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Staked to a rather comfortable early lead, a fluttering Philip Humber repeated his trend of inconsistency, but Chicago's bullpen was nearly perfect on Saturday.Four no-hit frames from the quartet of Hector Santiago, Nate Jones, Jesse Crain and Addison Reed helped the White Sox edge the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-4, in the middle installment of a three-game interleague series.
"The big credit goes to our bullpen," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. That's a tough lineup over there and they gave them no hits. They're the reason we won."
Humber (3-4) got the win, but is just 2-4 with a 7.47 earned run average in his last 10 outings since tossing a perfect game on April 21 against Seattle.
He was charged with all four of his runs in the third inning. Humber allowed nine hits and two walks in five frames for the White Sox, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Chad Billingsley (4-5) was touched for five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits and a walk for the Dodgers, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six games.
"The biggest thing about Chad is consistency," Los Angeles manager Don Mattingley said. "His inconsistency is what's keeping him from taking the next step forward."
After the Dodgers' four-run third knotted the contest, Chicago retook the lead, 5-4, in the top of the fourth on Alejandro De Aza's go-ahead RBI groundout.
Santiago took the mound for Chicago in the sixth. He fanned two and walked one in 1 1/3 frames before Jones registered the final two outs of the seventh, striking out one.
Crain surrendered a walk but fanned one in the eighth while Reed struck out a batter in a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save of the season.
The White Sox opened the scoring with a three-run second frame and tallied another in the third.
With men on second and third and one out in the second, Alexei Ramirez slapped a two-run single to center while Humber added a run-scoring base hit two batters later for a 3-0 lead.
Alex Rios stroked an RBI triple to deep right in the third to push the Chicago margin to 4-0.
The White Sox advantage, though, quickly dissipated as the Dodgers tallied four in the home half to knot the contest.
With the bases loaded and one out, Jerry Hairston lifted a sacrifice fly to center before Bobby Abreu, A.J. Ellis and James Loney slapped three consecutive RBI singles to make it a 4-4 game.
Game Notes
The Dodgers were 10-0 on Saturday's coming in, the last team to have a perfect record on any given day this year...The White Sox bullpen lowered its ERA to 2.12 on the road this year...The White Sox were 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base while Los Angeles finished 4- for-12 and stranded seven.
- CHICAGO: 5
LOS ANGELES: 4
Final
Jun 17 1:25 AM - Alejandro De Aza grounded into a fielder's choice, second to short scored Alexei Ramirez. Orlando Hudson out at second. Runner on first with two outs and Gordon Beckham due up.
White Sox 5, Dodgers 4 Top 4, 2 OutsJun 16 11:30 PM - James Loney singled to left scored Bobby Abreu. On the play, A.J. Ellis advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and Juan Uribe due up.
White Sox 4, Dodgers 4 Bot 3, 2 OutsJun 16 11:17 PM - A.J. Ellis singled to center scored Andre Ethier. On the play, Bobby Abreu advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and James Loney due up.
White Sox 4, Dodgers 3 Bot 3, 2 OutsJun 16 11:13 PM - Bobby Abreu singled to left scored Dee Gordon. On the play, Andre Ethier advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and A.J. Ellis due up.
White Sox 4, Dodgers 2 Bot 3, 2 OutsJun 16 11:12 PM - Chad Billingsley singled to left. Runner on first with none out and Dee Gordon due up.
White Sox 4, Dodgers 0 Bot 3, 0 OutsJun 16 11:03 PM - Alexei Ramirez singled to left center scored Paul Konerko and Alex Rios. Runner on second with one out as Ramirez advances to second on the throw and Orlando Hudson due up.
White Sox 2, Dodgers 0 Top 2, 1 OutJun 16 10:34 PM - CHICAGO: 0
LOS ANGELES: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 16 10:10 PM
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