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White Sox outlast Royals in 13 innings

Jul 9, 2008 - 6:52 AM By Alan Eskew PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- There were 33 hits, six walks, a hit batsman, two errors, three wild pitches, two runners scoring on a sacrifice fly by A.J. Pierzynski, Billy Butler bunting into a double play and two blown saves.

When it was all over, the Chicago White Sox held off the Kansas City Royals for an 8-7 victory in 13 innings Tuesday night.

"The only good thing about this game is we win," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "It was a real bad game. There were mistakes, real bad pitching. We've got to be better. I say when you win, it is always nice. We've got to step it up.

"We come back and fight like a champ, we take the lead, they tie the game and continue to fight. That's a great sign of a winning ballclub. That's the only thing we did right today, keep fighting. There was a lot of negative things (that) happened, but we learn from that and it turned out to be positive."

Jim Thome and Alexei Ramirez each stroked four hits as the White Sox rallied and then hung to win for the ninth time in 11 games.

Ramirez had an infield single in the 13th and scored the winning run on Orlando Cabrera's double. Nick Masset (1-0), Chicago's sixth pitcher, picked up the victory, while Robinson Tejeda (0-1) absorbed the loss.

The Royals loaded the bases with one out in the 13th, but pinch hitter Mark Grudzielanek grounded into a game-ending double play.

"I'm disappointed that we lost the game, but I'm encouraged with the way we kept coming back," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "It was a matter of not being able to keep them off the board."

Esteban German and Mike Aviles each had four hits for the Royals, matching their career highs. German scored three runs.

"It went back and forth. We played a little ping pong with them," Aviles said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get the win, but you've got to like the way we stayed in the game."

Pierzynski drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning as the White Sox took a short-lived 7-5 lead.

Joey Gathright caught Pierzynski's fly just short of the warning track in right-center field but was knocked down after a glancing collision with right fielder Mark Teahen. Joe Crede and Ramirez, who both had singled, scored on the play. The runs were unearned after a fielding error by second baseman German on Cabrera's bouncer loaded the bases with one out.

The Royals, however, scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the 11th off Scott Linebrink. Aviles, who had three hits for the second straight game, singled home German for the first run.

Alex Gordon's double to right plated Aviles to tie the contest.

"Only two words I can say about me is, I stink," Linebrink said. "It's disappointing for me. You can really see the heart in these guys."

Ramirez is hitting .374 in his past 33 games and leads all American League rookies with a .310 average.

"My key when I get on base is to score," Ramirez said through an interpreter. "When I get on first base, I say if it is to the gap, I'm going to score. Once I help the team win, that's my job. I feel good about it."

The Royals sent eight batters to the plate in a three-run second against White Sox starter Jose Contreras. The inning included a smorgasbord of one walk, two wild pitches, a hit batsman, a passed ball and three singles.

German singled home Ross Gload with the first run of the inning. Miguel Olivo, who had walked, scored on a groundout by David DeJesus.

Aviles' two-out single scored German with the final run of the frame, giving the Royals a 3-1 lead. Kansas City made it 4-1 in the third when Olivo's two-out base hit scored Mark Teahen, who led off the inning with a double.

The White Sox got back two runs in the sixth to chase Royals starter Kyle Davies. Thome, who had his 11th career four-hit game, led off with his second double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Paul Konerko.

Joe Crede's 16th home run two batters later finished Davies' evening and cut the deficit to 4-3.

Davies, who had an 11.57 ERA in his previous three starts, allowed three runs, nine hits and two walks with two strikeouts. The Royals do not have a victory from a starter since June 27.

"It seems like everything they hit found a hole every inning," Davies said. "Pitching out of the stretch, I kept my fastball down, for the most part, kept it on the ground and was able to get out of it. I'd like to have the pitch to Crede back. It's like the third or fourth marathon I've pitched. I don't pitch too many sprints."

The White Sox tied it in the eighth against relievers Ramon Ramirez and Ron Mahay.

Thome singled and Konerko, who was just activated from the disabled list, walked with one out. Mahay came on and yielded an RBI single by Nick Swisher and a sacrifice fly by Crede that forged a 5-5 deadlock.

Contreras, who is 1-3 over his last six starts, gave up five runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.