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Crede's grand slam leads White Sox over Twins

Apr 8, 2008 - 1:04 AM By Gene Chamberlain PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) - A broken-bat grand slam is a sure sign a player is on a hot streak.

Third baseman Joe Crede remained on such a streak Monday with a grand slam that led the Chicago White Sox to a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins in their home opener at U.S. Cellular Field.

"It doesn't matter what the bat does, it's all about the ball," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said

The home run extended the White Sox's winning streak to five - their longest since August of 2006 - and left them at 5-2 and alone in first place in the AL Central.

Crede, who endured offseason back surgery and training camp trade rumors, came into the home opener batting .375 (9-for-24) with six RBI. He had two more hits Monday, including his second home run of the season on a fastball off righthander Pat Neshek.

"After I hit it, I didn't think it had enough," Crede said. "It was definitely high enough, especially coming off my bat, the way my bat shattered with the way I hit it.

"But ... if you hit anything in the air, it's definitely got a shot with the way the wind plays here in this stadium."

Crede deposited Neshek's 1-0 inside fastball over the left-field wall in the seventh inning after Jermaine Dye had tied the game at 3-3 with a single to center off Neshek.

"What are you going to do?" Neshek said. "I feel like I hit the spots I wanted to, but the ball just didn't bounce my way today. Joe Crede is a great hitter."

Crede, a free agent at the end of the season, had been the subject of trade rumors because Josh Fields had hit 23 home runs last year as his replacement. But Crede is in Chicago, Fields in the minor leagues and no one is talking about trades now.

"Sometimes the best trade you make is the one you don't," White Sox general manager Ken Williams said prior to the game.

Crede agreed.

"It's a great feeling to be here and hopefully I'm still here for years to come," he said.

Crede's grand slam was the fifth of his career. He also has five career game-ending home runs.

"Joe has always seemed like at the end of the line he's been a Mr. Clutch," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who was ejected in the third inning following an argument with home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi.

"He's a guy you want out there a lot of times when the game is on the line because he's done it before."

Crede said he would rather hit with the game in the balance.

"Your focus is that much greater, it seems, than earlier in the game, especially for me," Crede said. "Late in the game, your focus is up and you're bearing down."

The White Sox withstood an eighth-inning rally when Delmon Young's single off Scott Linebrink scored Denard Span, who had doubled. Bobby Jenks took over with a 7-4 lead and allowed one hit in the ninth for his fourth save.

White Sox pitcher Javier Vazquez (1-1) overcame a rough start, in which he gave up RBI doubles to Mike Lamb in the second and fourth innings, and an RBI single to Joe Mauer in the first to put Chicago in a 3-1 hole. He allowed the first three leadoff hitters he faced to reach base.

Vazquez gave up seven hits and walked one, but struck out eight in seven innings. He retired the side in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

"For me, aggressiveness is the key - being aggressive in the strike zone and throwing quality pitches and when I don't do that and stay behind in the count and leadoff guys are getting on, it's tough to win," Vazquez said.

Nick Blackburn started for the Twins, leaving after five innings after he had allowed seven hits and two walks. The rookie struck out five, including Paul Konerko in the third inning.

After his second strike on Konerko, Guillen charged out of the dugout and argued with Cuzzi before being tossed.

It wasn't the first disagreement between the two. Last July 31, Cuzzi tossed Guillen from a road game with the Yankees, causing Guillen to remark later, " .. I'm going to be suspended, but this umpire will keep on (messing with) people."

After the win, Guillen's anger had subsided.

"I'm here for my players," he said. "If I don't think they give the right call then that's my job to protect them."

Guillen had little else to say about Cuzzi. "I don't want to waste my time talking about that guy," he said.

However, Guillen couldn't resist one other jab. He said he was in the locker room on the computer when Crede homered.

"I was sending a text message to Major League Baseball," he joked.