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Wood's homer helps lift Marlins over White Sox

Jun 21, 2007 - 2:46 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Jason Wood hit a three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to help lead the Florida Marlins to a 5-4 victory over the struggling Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

The loss was Chicago's 19th in 24 games.

Wood, pinch-hitting for Matt Treanor, greeted Chicago closer Bobby Jenks by smacking his second home run of the season over the left-field fence, scoring Aaron Boone and Brett Carroll to put Florida ahead 4-2.

"It was a situation where (Joe) Borchard was called upon to hit and I didn't think I was going to get a chance to hit today," Wood said. "He (Marlins coach Fredi Gonzalez) changed his mind when Jenks came in and I was able to put a good swing on the ball."

Jenks relieved White Sox righthander Jon Garland (4-5) with Boone and Carroll aboard, but could not bail out his starter who had turned in a stellar outing.

Garland allowed just three runs on three hits and one walk, striking out six over seven-plus innings.

"He needed a little help there in the eighth," Jenks said. "I'm sorry I couldn't come through for him."

Florida added an insurance run in the top of the ninth on an RBI double to center field, scoring Josh Willingham.

Lefthander Taylor Tankersley (4-1) picked up the win, pitching 2/3 of an inning in relief of Marlins starter Sergio Mitre. Mitre pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and two walks while striking out three.

"Six and one-third looks pretty good with two runs, but it was actually a little worse than it was," Mitre said. "I was on the ropes for a while."

Chicago got single runs in the eighth and ninth innings before Kevin Gregg closed the game out for his 13th save in as many chances. Gregg issued a bases-loaded walk to Luis Terrero in the eighth, but escaped further damage by getting Juan Uribe to line out to center field.

"Kevin Gregg, 1 2/3 innings, a save, outstanding," Gonzalez said. "We put him in a situation where it wasn't a comfortable situation for him and he came through."

Paul Konerko hit his 11th homer of the season with two outs in the ninth to bring the White Sox within a run, but Gregg induced a pop-out by A.J. Pierzynski to end the game.

"We had chances to put more runs on the board and we didn't get it done," Pierzynski said.

The Marlins scored their first run in the second inning when Jeremy Hermida walked and Boone followed with a double to center field.

The White Sox went ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning when Jermaine Dye doubled to deep left field and scored on a single to center by Rob Mackowiak. Mackowiak then scored when rookie Josh Fields doubled to deep left.

Boone and Willingham each had a pair of hits for the Marlins. Uribe had three hits for the White Sox, who left 11 runners on base.

"It's nice to come back and win the series," Gonzalez said. "Sergio did a great job keeping us in the game."