SB Nation Chicago - White Sox Avoid Sweep Behind Dominant Performance From Gavin Floyd

MLB Schedule Alterations Could Affect Cubs-White Sox Series, According To Report

2012-04-30T22:44:37Z

The Houston Astros are moving to the AL in 2013 and Major League Baseball is reconfiguring the schedule as ar esult. Among the potential consequences of the changes, according to ESPN New York's Adam Rubin: natural interleague rivals will no longer be guaranteed home-and-home series. That includes series like Cubs-White Sox and Yankees-Mets.

With the Houston Astros moving to the American League West next season and the leagues becoming balanced at 15 teams apiece, natural rivals throughout baseball no longer will be guaranteed six games a season and home-and-home series, the sources said.

According to one of Rubin's sources, these rivalries would most likely be limited to one series in one ballpark most seasons, or perhaps two games at each ballpark. Either way, interleague rivals won't be seeing as much of each other as they had been.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

White Sox 1B Paul Konerko Wins AL Player Of The Week

2012-04-30T20:14:38Z

The Chicago White Sox have enjoyed yet another scintillating start to the season from their slugging first baseman, Paul Konerko. Through 21 games, Konerko has hit 5 home runs with a .383/.444/.679 slash, and the MLB has awarded him in corresponding fashion, naming him the AL Player of the Week:

The @whitesox again have AL Player of the Week, this time Paul Konerko, who hit .435 in 6 games w/ AL best .957 SLG & 400th career HR
— MLB Public Relations (@MLB_PR) April 30, 2012

Konerko, who turned 36 this March, has hit over 30 home runs in his past two seasons and in 6 of his last 8 seasons. As of Monday, Paulie is on pace for over 33 homers.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

Hector Santiago Is Still Chicago's Closer, Says Robin Ventura

2012-04-30T02:05:28Z

White Sox closer Hector Santiago has four saves this season, but he's also had his share of issues in the early going, and it was Matt Thornton who finished out the game on Sunday. In remarks about it afterward, manager Robin Ventura said he stuck with Thornton because of his history against the Red Sox batters he faced in that inning. So for now at least, it does not look like that decision represented a permanent change.

"It is nothing against Hector, he still will be in there in the ninth, but you're looking at guy with a body of work against those three guys," Ventura said after the game. "I felt confident leaving Matt in there."

The White Sox are off Monday before starting a three-game set against Cleveland on Tuesday.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

White Sox vs. Red Sox Score Update: Gavin Floyd Helps Chicago Avoid Sweep

2012-04-29T21:50:16Z

It turns out that a dominant performance from Gavin Floyd was all that was needed to help the Chicago White Sox avoid a sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. Floyd had a no-hitter through the first 6 1/3 innings and completely dominated the Red Sox in a 4-1 victory that ended Boston's six-game winning streak.

The White Sox jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning, with Adam Dunn providing a huge lift with a two-run homer off of Josh Beckett. The early lead was all that Floyd would need, as he controlled the potent Red Sox lineup. Floyd pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed only one run, while striking out nine batters. With the victory, Floyd improved to 2-3 this season.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

Red Sox Vs. White Sox Score Update: Gavin Floyd Has No-Hitter Through Six Innings

2012-04-29T19:48:37Z

The Chicago White Sox are leading 3-0 against the Boston Red Sox in the middle of the sixth inning as starter Gavin Floyd has carried a no-hitter through the first six frames. The White Sox are hoping to get a win on Sunday to avoid being swept over the four-game series against Boston.

Floyd has been absolutely lights out for Chicago so far, giving up just one walk over the first six innings of play while striking out seven Red Sox hitters. He's already up to 90 pitches so it'll be interesting to see how things play out, but he'll presumably be given a shot to finish off the feat.

He still needs another nine outs, but Floyd would become the second White Sox pitcher to toss a no-hitter this year after Phil Humbert pitched a perfect game earlier this month.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

White Sox Vs. Red Sox: Konerko Scratched, Fukudome In Left

2012-04-29T17:01:06Z

The Chicago White Sox road to escaping their four-game series vs. the Boston Red Sox with a victory got even harder on Sunday morning with news that star DH Paul Konerko has been scratched from Sunday's line up thanks to a stiff neck. In his place will be Kosuke Fukudome, who is in left field today after Dayan Viciedo was shifted to DH.

Konerko scratched from lineup with stiff neck; Viciedo to DH, Fukudome to LF. More to come on MLB.com
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) April 29, 2012

Konerko has been absolutely mashing the ball so far in 2012, hitting .383/.444/.679 with five homers and 15 RBI. Fukudome, on the other hand, has been slightly less intimidating, hitting .227/.280/.273 in only 22 at-bats with the White Sox in 2012.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

White Sox Vs. Red Sox Preview: Chicago Looks To Avoid Sweep At Hands Of Boston

2012-04-29T16:47:16Z

The Boston Red Sox came into U.S. Cellular Field earlier this week as a team in turmoil and under the gun, but if the Chicago White Sox don't pick up a victory on Sunday, they'll leave as one of the hottest teams in baseball. The Red Sox have outscored the the White Sox 21-6 in the first three games of this series, and Robin Ventura's club will have to go through Josh Beckett if they want to grab that win.

Beckett has been so-so so far in 2012, shaking off an initial disaster start vs. the Detroit Tigers and following it up with three solid but unspectacular starts. In his last start vs. the Minnesota Twins, Beckett scattered five hits across six innings while allowing only two runs and striking out five. Beckett hasn't faced the White Sox since September 29, 2010, when he took the loss in a 5-2 Chicago victory.

On the hill for the White Sox will be Gavin Floyd, who has had two great starts this year and two others that were not so great. A potential bit of good news for Chicago is that Floyd has been solid vs. the Red Sox in his career, posting a 3.47 ERA with 39 strikeouts in just over 49 innings across seven starts.

Game date/time: Sunday, April 29, 1:10 p.m. CT

Location: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Ill.

TV: CSN Chicago

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.

Red Sox Vs. White Sox Final Score: Jake Peavy Hurls Complete Game In 1-0 Loss

2012-04-29T02:27:25Z

The Chicago White Sox (10-10) could not overcome SP Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox bullpen, falling to Boston (9-10) in a 1-0 pitching duel.

Jake Peavy (L, 3-1), making his fifth start of the season, managed to hold the Red Sox to only 1 run through 9 innings, striking out 7 and walking only 1 batter. The only extra base hit Peavy allow -- a double to RF Ryan Sweeny -- led to the game's only run as 1B Adrian Gonzalez scored him with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

1B Paul Konerko collected the only extra base hits for the White Sox, a pair of doubles off Lester, but the remainder of the team could only muster a combined four singles.

Final - 4.28.2012	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston Red Sox	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
Chicago White Sox	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
WP: Jon Lester (1 - 2) SV: Alfredo Aceves (5) LP: Jake Peavy (3 - 1)

Complete Coverage >

The Chicago White Sox will be back in action on Sunday as they finish their series against the Red Sox at 1:10 p.m. CDT.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this series, check out South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around baseball, visit Baseball Nation.