Game 71 Recap-
1b-DH Jim Thome hit a 3 run homer(his #521) to move to 16th on the all time list but more importantly help blow out the Pittsburgh Pirates 16-5 Tuesday Night at US Cellular Field in Chicago in the opener of a interleague series. The powerful White Sox hit 4 homers total and got a another good start from veteran RH Javier Vazquez(7-5,4.13) to cap the win, over 6 innings, he allowed 5 hits and 5 runs with 2 walks and 3 runs.
RH Ian Snell had a rough night and was gone after 4 innings plus(4 innings, 9 hits and 7 runs plus 6 walks). in the 1st, RF Jermaine Dye doubled in two. The Pirates rallied for 4 in the 2nd after subs Michaels(2 run double) and Mientkiewicz(rbi single) drove in runs. CF Nate McLouth sacrifice fly capped the inning to make it 4-2. In the 3rd. Dye homered and the Sox scored 2 more runs to take the lead for good at 5-4.
Pirates 3b Jose Bautista homered in the 4th to tie the score at 5-5. Chicago again rallied for 2 runs via rbi hits from 3b Joe Crede and 2b Alexei Ramirez to put the lead at 7-5. The White Sox plated 3 more runs in the 6th after 1b Nick Swisher doubled in a run and Crede hit a 2 run shot for a 10-5 score. In the 7th, Thome’s 3 run shot and a run blast from ss Orlando Cabrera made it 15-5. LF Carlos Quentin’s 8th inning sacrifice fly in the 8th closed the scoring at 16-5.
Star of the Game-
Thome- class act and tremendous hitter
Pirates Notes-
Played without 2 star OFs- LF Jason Bay was out with the flu & RF Xavier Nady remains out with a sprained left shoulder. He had better range of motion but the club is still undecided on a DL stint. Jason Michaels played LF and supersub Doug Mientkiewicz played RF…. Luis Ruvas played 2b and regular second baseman Freddy Sanchez DH-ed…Red Hot 3b Jose Bautista led the team with 2 hits, he is hitting .267 in June after a .313 posting in May
Next Game-
Wednesday-8:11- US Cellular Field, Chicago
Pirates LH Tom Gorzelanny(5-5,6.65) vs White Sox RH Mark Buehrle(3-6,4.47)
