SB Nation Chicago - Sox Take It To Extras, But Drop Final Game To Mariners In 11thhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48877/chicago-fave.png2010-07-22T02:29:59-05:00http://chicago.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13452592010-07-22T02:29:59-05:002010-07-22T02:29:59-05:00Jenks Second Blown Save Of Year Foils Sweep
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<p>Seattle, WA (Sports Network) – Franklin Gutierrez stroked a two-run single in the bottom of the 11th inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, to salvage the finale of a three-game series at Safeco Field.</p>
<p>The White Sox had taken the lead in the top of the 11th on a two-out single by Omar Vizquel off Brandon League (7-6) that scored Gordon Beckham, who doubled and took third on a fly out.</p>
<p>Chicago closer Bobby Jenks (1-3) was called on to protect the narrow margin, but Jack Wilson bunted for a single and Ichiro Suzuki sacrificed before a single by Chone Figgins put men on the corners with one out. Figgins swiped second and Gutierrez followed with a line drive to center field, giving the Mariners just their fourth win (4-14) in July.</p>
<p>“That was good baseball. Unfortunately, we finished like that,” said Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen.</p>
<p>Seattle’s anemic offense failed to get the win for Felix Hernandez, who scattered two hits and retired the final 17 batters he faced before exiting after the eighth inning.</p>
<p>The right-hander struck out eight and did not issue a walk for the second straight start. He has now worked seven innings or more in each of his last eight outings.</p>
<p>“Felix did everything he could and everything we asked of him,” said Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu.</p>
<p>Chicago starter Gavin Floyd was just as impressive on the mound, yielding five hits and fanning six over seven full frames. He has allowed one earned run or fewer in eight of his last nine starts.</p>
<p>The loss — just the fourth in 15 games — dwindled Chicago’s lead in the American League Central to 2 1/2 games over the Tigers and Twins after both those teams won Wednesday.</p>
<p>Gutierrez collected three hits…Chicago had taken the previous five meetings with Seattle this season…It was the second blown save for Jenks.</p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2010/7/22/1581822/beckham-scored-go-ahead-run-in-theHilary Lee2010-07-21T18:07:02-05:002010-07-21T18:07:02-05:00Sox Look To Sweep Mariners; King Felix Stands In Way
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<p>(Sports Network) - A trip to the West Coast and a couple of matchups with a struggling Seattle squad seems to have gotten the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/CWS">Chicago White Sox</a> back on track. The current American League Central leaders will try to remain unbeaten against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/SEA">Mariners</a> this season when the two teams conclude a three-game series tonight at Safeco Field.</p>
<p>Chicago entered this series off three consecutive defeats to rival Minnesota, which closed the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/MIN">Twins</a> within 1 1/2 games of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/CWS">White Sox</a> in the division standings, but has been able to rebound at the expense of the hapless <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/SEA">Mariners</a>. After coming through with a 6-1 victory in the series opener, Chicago received excellent pitching for a second straight night in Tuesday's 4-0 triumph over Seattle.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/167/John_Danks">John Danks</a> (10-7) limited the Mariners' anemic offense to two hits and struck out eight over the first 7 2/3 innings to notch his 10th win of the season, with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/1074/J_J_Putz">J.J. Putz</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/816/Bobby_Jenks">Bobby Jenks</a> recording the final five outs to complete the shutout.</p>
<p>"I felt good," Danks said afterward. "It was a good game. We scored some runs and as a staff were able to shut them out."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/32869/Alexei_Ramirez">Alexei Ramirez</a> paced the White Sox offensively by going 3-for-4 with a solo homer, while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/862/Alex_Rios">Alex Rios</a> went 2-for-3 and added an RBI single to help Chicago post its 11th win in the past 14 games.</p>
<p>With Minnesota and Detroit both losing on Tuesday, the White Sox now hold a 3 1/2-game advantage on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/MIN">Twins</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/DET">Tigers</a> in the AL Central race.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/78455/Doug_Fister">Doug Fister</a> (3-6) was saddled with the loss for Seattle, now a woeful 3-14 for the month of July, after giving up three runs over the first six innings.</p>
<p>"When you're having trouble scoring runs, <span>John Danks</span> is not the guy you want to see," said Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu following the loss.</p>
<p>Chicago has now taken all five meetings with Seattle this season, having won three straight matchups between the teams at U.S. Cellular Field back in April. With a win tonight, the White Sox can produce their first three-game road sweep of the Mariners since June 24-26, 1994, when Seattle still played its games at the Kingdome.</p>
<p>Tonight's finale will feature an intriguing pitching matchup, with the Mariners set to send out staff ace <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/307/Felix_Hernandez">Felix Hernandez</a> against resurgent Chicago righty <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/820/Gavin_Floyd">Gavin Floyd</a>.</p>
<p>While Seattle as a team has clearly failed to meet expectations in 2010, Hernandez hasn't disappointed despite entering this evening's tilt with a rather ordinary 7-6 record. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award runner-up's 2.90 earned run average is fifth-best in the league, and he ranks second among Junior Circuit hurlers with 134 strikeouts while throwing an AL-best 145 2/3 innings.</p>
<p>Hernandez has worked seven innings or more in each of his last seven outings and notched five complete games during that span, and had posted four straight winning decisions prior to dropping a 3-2 verdict to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/ANA">Los Angeles Angels</a> of Anaheim on Friday. The All-Star right-hander allowed all three Anaheim runs and 10 hits in going the distance once again.</p>
<p>During his six-start unbeaten streak, Hernandez had registered a sensational 1.39 ERA and limited opposing hitters to a .177 average while fanning 52 batters in 5 1/3 innings.</p>
<p>Hernandez is just 2-2 with a 3.74 over seven lifetime starts against Chicago, but did not allow a run over a combined 15 innings in two encounters with the White Sox last season.</p>
<p>Floyd also had an impressive unbeaten stretch come to an end in his initial start out of the All-Star break, when the former first-round pick surrendered four runs -- only one of which was earned -- in a five-inning stint at Minnesota this past Friday. He had won three consecutive assignments to finish out the first half.</p>
<p>The 27-year-old has bounced back nicely from a poor first two months of the season. Floyd had a substandard 6.64 ERA as of June 2, but has lowered that number to 4.10 by yielding one run or fewer in six of his last eight starts.</p>
<p>Floyd didn't fare that well in a showdown with the Mariners in Chicago back on April 23, permitting five runs in 6 1/3 innings while receiving a no-decision, and is an unwanted 1-4 with a 7.41 ERA in nine career games (seven starts) against Seattle. He's also lost in all three of his previous starts at Safeco Field and pitched to a brutal 9.49 ERA during those contests.</p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2010/7/21/2318198/sox-look-to-sweep-mariners-king-felix-stands-in-wayAl Yellon