SB Nation Chicago - Paul Konerko Expected To Return Friday As White Sox Move To 13 Games Over .500

White Sox Reflect On Fan's Death During Friday's Win Over Toronto Blue Jays

2012-08-17T17:40:10Z

There was a tragic moment in the seventh inning of Thursday's White Sox-Blue Jays game, as fan in the front row suffered cardiac arrest. The fan later died at a nearby hospital.

It was a terrible moment for everyone in attendance, and White Sox players reflected after the game. From the Chicago Tribune:

"It was not a good sight. It was bad," Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis told the Toronto Globe and Mail. "I could see the guy pumping on him, doing something where I just knew it was happening too long. I said something to (third-base umpire) Mark (Wegner) and finally I was like 'We've got to stop this thing.'"

"You automatically start thinking of life, you put everything in perspective," White Sox reliever Jesse Crain, who was on the mound at the time, said. "It didn't look good. I don't know what ended up happening but I said a little prayer for him. ... You don't ever want to see that. It's definitely a first for me."

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White Sox Vs. Blue Jays Final Score: Chicago Dominates In 7-2 Victory

2012-08-17T02:11:10Z

The Chicago White Sox used a four-run eighth inning to break open a one-run game and beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-2 Thursday, giving Francisco Liriano his first win as a member of the White Sox.

A three-run home run by Alex Rios, scoring Adam Dunn and Kevin Youkilis, and a solo home run by Alexei Ramirez capped off seven unanswered runs by the White Sox after Toronto took a 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Moises Sierra in the second inning.

DeWayne Wise hit a solo home run in the fourth and then Chicago took the lead in the fifth on two more solo home runs, one by Dayan Viciedo and one by Tyler Flowers.

Liriano pitched 6.1 innings with six strikeouts for the win to improve to 4-10 on the season. Aaron Laffey took the loss. Liriano had three no-decisions in his previous three starts since he was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins.

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White Sox Vs. Blue Jays: Starting Lineups For Thursday's Series Finale

2012-08-16T20:59:34Z

The Chicago White Sox will look to wrap up their four-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays with a victory on Thursday night at Rogers Centre in Toronto, as left-hander Francisco Liriano will take the mound to close out the series.

Liriano will be making his fourth start in a White Sox uniform. He has picked up no-decisions in each of his last three outings. The last time Liriano toed the rubber, he was tagged for six earned runs over just 3.1 innings by a light-hitting Oakland offense, however, and the 28-year-old will need to be much sharper against a dangerous offense like Toronto's.

Slugger Adam Dunn enters after blasting his 34th home run of the season in Wednesday's 9-5 victory, and now leads the majors in homers. The bounce-back star will hope to keep his torrid pace going to close out the series against Toronto's Aaron Laffey, an inconsistent hurler who has already served up 10 home runs in just 61 innings pitched so far this year.

Here are Thursday's lineups:

White Sox
1. DeWayne Wise - CF
2. Kevin Youkilis - 3B
3. Adam Dunn - 1B
4. Alex Rios - RF
5. A.J. Pierzynski - DH
6. Alexei Ramirez - SS
7. Dayan Viciedo - LF
8. Tyler Flowers - C
9. Ray Olmedo - 2B
Francisco Liriano - SP

Blue Jays
1. Rajai Davis - LF
2. Colby Rasmus - DH
3. Edwin Encarnacion - 1B
4. Yunel Escobar - SS
5. Kelly Johnson - 2B
6. Moises Sierra - RF
7. Jeff Mathis - C
8. Mike McCoy - CF
9. Adeiny Hechavarria - 3B
Aaron Laffey - SP

White Sox Vs. Blue Jays: Pale Hose Seek Series Victory In Thursday's Finale

2012-08-16T16:40:01Z

The Chicago White Sox have a chance for a series victory after winning the past two games in Toronto against the Blue Jays, and wrap up their four-game set at the Rogers Centre Thursday night.

The Sox haven't won three straight north of the border since August of 2006. They'll go with struggling starter Francisco Liriano (3-10, 5.35 ERA) to try to make it happen, but Liriano's track record against the Jays isn't good -- he's lost all three career starts against Toronto.

The Blue Jays, who have played themselves out of contention in the AL East, have lost 13 of their last 17 games. The White Sox (64-52) entered Thursday with a two-game lead in the AL Central.

Adam Dunn and DeWayne Wise have paced Chicago's offense in Toronto. Dunn has three home runs in the series (five total hits) and Wise is 3-for-8 with five RBI. But Dunn is hitless in five at-bats against Toronto starter Aaron Laffey.

The White Sox head to Kansas City after tonight's game.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of the White Sox, head over to White Sox blog South Side Sox. For more news and notes from around the league, head over to Baseball Nation.

White Sox vs. Blue Jays: Chicago Wins 9-5 After Five-Run Seventh Inning

2012-08-16T01:55:03Z

The Chicago White Sox took the third game of a four-game series in Toronto Wednesday night, scoring five runs in the top of the seventh to blow open a tie game and eventually win 9-5. The Sox initially jumped out to a four-run lead on two RBI hits by Dewayne Wise, but Toronto tied the game on a three-run Kelly Johnson home run in the bottom of the sixth.

After Alejandro De Aza walked to start the seventh inning, Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch. That put two runners on base for Adam Dunn, who blasted a home run to right field to give Chicago a three-run advantage. Dayan Viciedo added another homer to drive in two more, and the White Sox bullpen had more than enough to protect the lead.

Chicago starter Gavin Floyd got the win after six innings of work, giving up three earned runs on eight hits and striking out eight Blue Jays to run his record to 9-9 on the season. Donnie Veal contributed two hitless innings of relief work, and Phil Humber closed out the contest. Blue Jays starting pitcher Ricky Romero was given the loss. The White Sox are now 63-52 on the season, one and a half games ahead of Detroit in the AL Central.

Brian Bruney Injury: White Sox Reliever Has Season-Ending Surgery

2012-08-16T01:13:43Z

Chicago White Sox reliever Brian Bruney underwent hip surgery on Monday, the team announced. The procedure will end the right-hander's season.

Bruney started the season with the White Sox's Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte and was called up to the big league roster in late June. After making one appearance, in which he pitched a scoreless 10th inning of relief against the Milwaukee Brewers and picked up the win, the 30-year-old reliever was placed on the 15-day disabled list with hip irritation. After nearly two months on the DL and following a rehab start in which he threw just 11 pitches, Bruney's 2012 season has come to an end.

The team had previously recalled Jesse Crain from the disabled list to fill Bruney's place on the active roster. No further move is anticipated.

White Sox Vs. Blue Jays Score Update: Chicago and Toronto Tied After 6 Innings

2012-08-16T00:57:06Z

A three-run home run in the sixth inning by Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson has the Jays tied with the Chicago White Sox, 4-4. Left-fielder DeWayne Wise has knocked in all four Sox runs, driving in A.J. Pierzynski and Alexei Ramirez with a single in the second inning, and following it up with a two-run homer in the fourth. The Blue Jays got on the board in the fifth, when a throw to third by Pierzynski caromed off baserunner Omar Vizquel and into left field, allowing Vizquel to come home. Johnson's blast to right field tied the game.

Before the Johnson home run, White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd had been solid, scattering five hits and striking out six through five innings. Floyd, who brought a 4.43 ERA into tonight's contest, is looking to even his record at 9-9. Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero has struggled, giving up eight hits to the Sox through six innings of work.

Paul Konerko Injury: White Sox First Baseman Expected To Play Friday

2012-08-15T22:41:14Z

Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, who was diagnosed with a concussion last Wednesday and placed on the seven-day DL on Friday, is expected to return for this weekend's series against Kansas City.

Manager Robin Ventura has said since Konerko was cleared to work out earlier this week, he'd play the first baseman at DH if he was cleared to play. That stands as the plan moving forward. According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, Konerko is expected to DH for at least his first game or two back in the lineup, before returning to the field.

Ventura didn't seem overly enthusiastic about Konerko's chances earlier this week, saying that whether he plays or not will depend on how the first baseman feels after working out. Ventura was much more upbeat on Wednesday, however, stating that "everything is looking pretty good" and that Konerko should be able to play when he meets the team in Kansas City on Friday.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of this White Sox, head over to White Sox blog South Side Sox. And for more news and notes from around the league, head over to Baseball Nation.