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Abreu's grand slam lifts Yankees over White Sox

Apr 23, 2008 - 5:09 AM By Gene Chamberlain PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Bobby Abreu continued to make himself at home in U.S. Cellular Field, hitting a seventh-inning grand slam in the New York Yankees' 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.

Abreu came into the game leading all active players in batting average (.417), on-base percentage (.541) and slugging percentage (.813) at U.S. Cellular Field. He now has six career home runs and 19 RBI here in 14 games.

"I just feel good. I like it here," Abreu said. "The first time that I came here it just felt good to hit here."

The two-out home run to left off reliever Octavio Dotel provided a 6-3 lead and propelled the Yankees to their first victory when trailing after six innings this season. They had lost 10 straight when trailing after six prior to Tuesday.

"Obviously that was a big hit," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Abreu's homer. "It was a great at-bat and he went opposite field with it. When he swats it to the opposite field, that means his mind-set is right."

Morgan Ensberg walked and Melky Cabrera singled off losing pitcher Jose Contreras (1-2) in the seventh before Johnny Damon beat out an infield single off reliever Boone Logan. Dotel struck out Derek Jeter before yielding Abreu's seventh career grand slam and third home run of the season.

"Our pitching has done such a good job so far and we're supposed to score some runs," Abreu said. "We're an offensive team. We're supposed to produce."

It was the second of three home runs for the Yankees, who led, 2-0, after Jason Giambi's leadoff homer to left off Contreras in the second.

Damon also provided insurance in the eighth with a two-out, three-run shot to right. He finished with three hits.

"We made two bad pitches tonight," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "The pitch to Abreu and then to Damon when we got behind."

Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang (4-0) fell behind, 3-2, after six innings thanks to key hits by two slumping White Sox batters.

Paul Konerko came into the game with two hits in his previous 23 at-bats, but singled in the first and doubled home the go-ahead run in the fifth.

Chicago's other runs were driven in by Juan Uribe. Batting .153 starting the game, Uribe lined a game-tying double to left in the second, scoring Carlos Quentin and Joe Crede.

Wang still picked up the win thanks to the four-run seventh by New York. The Taiwanese righthander pitched six innings, surrendering three runs on 10 hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

"He didn't have great stuff tonight, he wasn't sharp as he normally is, but he kept us in the game and we got the win," Girardi said of Wang. "It's not often that he throws nearly 50 pitches after two innings."

A.J. Pierzynski hit his third home run of the season for the White Sox, who kicked off a seven-game homestand.

"We had our chances with people on base and we couldn't get the big base hit to win the game," Guillen said.

Chamberlain threw 1 2/3 innings of one-hit relief with a walk and strikeout. It was a rare stint that went over one inning for Chamberlain.

"It's actually a little harder, just because of the fact that (in one inning) you're never going to let up but you've actually got to maintain focus," Chamberlain said. "It's actually pretty tough."

Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner had stirred up some controversy over the weekend when he said that he wanted to see Chamberlain starting.