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Byrd's key hit helps Rangers add to White Sox woes

Aug 29, 2007 - 5:44 AM By John Tranchina PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Things are so bad for the Chicago White Sox, they are finding new ways to lose.

The White Sox loaded the bases with no outs out in the eighth inning but failed to score and then watched as Marlon Byrd hit a go-ahead single in the bottom of the inning in a 4-3 loss to the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

After Wes Littleton (1-1) worked out of the eighth-inning jam, Michael Young led off the decisive frame with a single off Mike MacDougal (1-4) and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Byrd then deposited a 2-2 pitch into center field to plate Young with the go-ahead run.

Joaquin Benoit then helped send the White Sox to their 14th loss in the last 17 games by throwing a scoreless ninth for his second save in six chances.

"It was crazy," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Every time we come up with runners in scoring position, we get the worst at-bats we can get, and it's not only happening today, it happens day-in and day-out.

"When you do that, you're going to lose a lot of games, that's why we've done that. Bases loaded, none out, we do everything we can to not score, and when you don't do that, the other team is going to take advantage and do it for you and that's what they did."

Chicago looked to be in good position to snap a 3-3 tie when Jim Thome led off the eighth with a single off John Rheinecker and Paul Konerko drew a walk. Littleton entered and hit Jermaine Dye to load the bases, but got Juan Uribe to hit a ground ball to the shortstop Young, who got the force play at home plate. Rookie Danny Richar grounded into a double play to end the threat.

"I wanted to make sure they scored no runs," said Littleton, who notched his third career win. "I want to do my job, make pitches and help the team win. I just wanted to slow the game down. I needed ground balls."

Littleton's efforts set the stage for Byrd's eighth-inning heroics.

"I fell behind 0-2 quickly," Byrd said. "You don't know what you'll see, especially with MacDougal on the mound. You just try to get wood on it. I battled and I got a good pitch that I put in the right spot."

"He gave us a good at-bat, which was exactly what we needed," Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Byrd. "He came through in a big spot just like he's been coming through all year. He got two strikes on him and he fought his way back, then got a breaking ball that he could drive."

Chicago got to Texas starter Kason Gabbard right away, taking a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first after Konerko belted his 27th home run of the season. Konerko had been just 2-for-22 in his last 17 games.

Gabbard walked Jim Thome with two outs before Konerko's blast landed in the Rangers' bullpen beyond the right-center field wall.

Thome then gave the White Sox a 3-0 lead in the third when he drilled his 22nd home run that also ended up in the Rangers bullpen. The solo shot was Thome's 494th career home run, moving him past Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff into sole possession of 23rd place on the all-time list.

However, Texas tied the score with a homer from Ian Kinsler in the third and a two-run shot from Laird in the fourth.

Gabbard, making his first start since winning 30-3 over Baltimore last week, left with two outs in the fifth after giving up three runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out three.

"He's tough," said Chicago's Josh Fields, who hit a fifth-inning double off Gabbard before he left. "He's one of those guys who goes out there and you can just tell by the look on his face that he's going to battle with you and he did a good job. He's not a power guy, but he's got movement on his ball and he changes speeds very well and he locates. He puts the ball pretty much wherever he wants to."

Meanwhile, Gavin Floyd allowed three runs and six hits in six innings for Chicago, which was outscored, 46-7, in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox over the weekend.

"I felt strong, I felt like I was able to throw any of my pitches for strikes," said Floyd, who made his fourth start of the season and first since August 11 after four relief appearances.

"You just try to bear down and try to make pitches. When things happen, a home run or I throw a ball away or a base hit, you just got to eliminate it and focus on the next pitch and try to do the best you can."