Final/10
White Sox-Royals Preview
Aug 21, 2010 - 5:39 AMVideo
Chicago (66-55) at Kansas City (51-70), 10:10 p.m. EDT
Rain delayed by a day the Chicago White Sox's first opportunity to take advantage of a favorable stretch of schedule.
As they attempt to make up ground in the AL Central, the White Sox will instead begin that stretch with a doubleheader Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Chicago enters the opener of this three-game series trailing Minnesota by 4 1/2 games in the division, but with a favorable schedule between now and when their next series against the Twins begins Sept. 14.
The White Sox (66-55) will play 16 of their next 22 contests against sub-.500 clubs, including two Saturday after Friday night's game was rained out.
Facing the Royals (51-70), however, may not be that easy. Kansas City has won four of six games overall, and is 6-2 in its last eight home meetings with Chicago.
"We better bring our best game here, because it could be a very disappointing weekend," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, whose team has dropped eight of 11. "We'd better be prepared to fight. We better be prepared to win this weekend. It's not going to be easy."
Guillen's club will begin that fight by trying to get Freddy Garcia (10-5, 5.07 ERA) back on track. The veteran right-hander is 1-2 with an 8.44 ERA in five starts following a 9-1 stretch.
He gave up five runs and eight hits over five innings Sunday against Detroit but avoided taking the loss in a 13-8 defeat. Garcia snapped a seven-game slide to the Royals with a 9-2 home victory May 5, but is 0-3 with an 8.80 ERA in his last three starts at Kauffman Stadium.
He's 9-13 with a 5.91 ERA in 26 career matchups against Kansas City.
Garcia will be opposed by Philip Humber (0-0, 0.00), scheduled to make his second career start and second appearance of the season.
The right-hander, who hasn't recorded a decision in 19 major league appearances, pitched two scoreless innings during a 3-1 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 10. He made his previous start for the New York Mets on Sept. 26, 2007, against Washington.
In the nightcap, the Royals' Bryan Bullington (1-2, 3.00) will try to build off his first major league win. The former No. 1 overall draft pick pitched a two-hitter and struck out five over eight innings of Sunday's 1-0 victory over the New York Yankees.
"I'm 29. Creeping up on 30. ... It's a long time coming," said Bullington, who was selected by Pittsburgh in 2002 but also spent time with Cleveland and Toronto before signing as a minor league free agent with Kansas City last November. "I had a few brief (major league) stints, but this is the first time I myself believe I belong here and can pitch at this level."
While with the Indians, Bullington lost his only start against the White Sox on Sept. 28, 2008. He's 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in three games against them.
Chicago has not officially announced its starter for the second game.
The White Sox, who swept the Royals from July 9-11 at U.S. Cellular Field, have had at least 10 hits in six consecutive games, including a season-high 21 in Thursday's 11-0 rout of Minnesota.
Chicago leads the season series 7-5.
- Royals 6, White Sox 7 - FINAL
CHI WHITE SOX ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
J Pierre lf 6 0 2 1 0 0 2 .277
A Ramirez ss 5 1 2 1 0 0 3 .294
A Rios cf 5 1 2 2 0 2 2 .294
P Konerko dh 4 0 2 0 1 0 1 .310
M Kotsay 1b 5 0 1 1 0 0 2 .232
A Jones rf 3 0 0 0 2 1 3 .207
M Teah
Aug 22 2:12 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
DOUBLE BY JUAN PIERRE SCORED GORDON BECKHAM
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J PIERRE ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 7
KANSAS CITY 6 TOP,10TH
DUE UP FOR CHI WHITE SOX: A RAMIREZ (.295, 2-FOR-4, SF, RBI)
White Sox 7, Royals 6 Top 10, 0 OutsAug 22 2:04 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
SINGLE BY YUNIESKY BETANCOURT SCORED MITCH MAIER
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, Y BETANCOURT ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 6
KANSAS CITY 6 BOTTOM,9TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: C GETZ (.224, 0-FOR-3)
White Sox 6, Royals 6 Bot 9, 0 OutsAug 22 1:54 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
SOLO HOME RUN BY GREGOR BLANCO (1) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 8TH OFF SCOTT LINEBRINK.
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 6, KANSAS CITY 5
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: W BLOOMQUIST (.250, 1-FOR-3)
White Sox 6, Royals 5 Bot 8, 0 OutsAug 22 1:33 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
SINGLE BY ALEX RIOS SCORED BRENT LILLIBRIDGE
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, A RIOS ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 6
KANSAS CITY 4 TOP,6TH
DUE UP FOR CHI WHITE SOX: P KONERKO (.309, 1-FOR-2, BB)
White Sox 6, Royals 4 Top 6, 0 OutsAug 22 12:54 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY RAMON CASTRO (7) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF BRYAN BULLINGTON SCORED GORDON BECKHAM.
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 5, KANSAS CITY 4
DUE UP FOR CHI WHITE SOX: B LILLIBRIDGE (.275, 0-FOR-2)
White Sox 5, Royals 4 Top 6, 0 OutsAug 22 12:46 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
SACRIFICE FLY BY MITCH MAIER SCORED BILLY BUTLER
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, A GORDON ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 3
KANSAS CITY 4 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: Y BETANCOURT (.266, 0-FOR-1)
White Sox 3, Royals 4 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 22 12:25 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
SINGLE BY BILLY BUTLER SCORED WILSON BETEMIT AND WILLIE
BLOOMQUIST
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, B BUTLER ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 3
KANSAS CITY 3 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: A GORDON (.233, 0-FOR-1)
White Sox 3, Royals 3 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 22 12:22 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
DOUBLE BY WILSON BETEMIT SCORED GREGOR BLANCO
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, W BETEMIT ON SECOND, W BLOOMQUIST ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 3
KANSAS CITY 1 BOTTOM,4TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: B BUTLER (.311, 0-FOR-1)
White Sox 3, Royals 1 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 22 12:21 AM - AL
AT KANSAS CITY - SCORING UPDATE (2ND GAME)
SACRIFICE FLY BY ALEXEI RAMIREZ SCORED MARK TEAHEN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J PIERRE ON FIRST, R CASTRO ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CHI WHITE SOX 3
KANSAS CITY 0 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR CHI WHITE SOX: A RIOS (.294, 1-FOR-2, RBI)
White Sox 3, Royals 0 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 22 12:13 AM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
CHI WHITE SOX 2 2 3 0
KANSAS CITY 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: CHA - TONY PENA
KAN - BRYAN BULLINGTON
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: G BLANCO (.275, 0 HR, 2 RBI)
W BLOOMQUIST (.248, 2 HR, 14 RBI)
W BETEMIT (.340, 6 HR, 22 RBI)
White Sox 2, Royals 0 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 21 11:19 PM
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