Baseball-White Sox continue to have Tigers number
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-20 06:23
NEW YORK, July 18 - Paul Konerko belted a pair of homers and Jon Garland
tossed seven sharp innings as the Chicago White Sox continued their mastery of
the Detroit Tigers with a 7-1 win at Comerica Park on Tuesday.
The Tigers may have the best record in the major leagues at 62-31 but the
White Sox have Detroit's number, winning six-of-seven meetings this season and a
perfect 4-0 at Detroit's home park.
The White Sox win was their first in four games since the all-star break and
moved the World Series champions to within 3 1/2 games of the Central division
front-runners from the Motor City.
"I don't think it's a psychological edge," Detroit manager Jim Leyland told
MLB.com. "I think they've pitched better than we have and hit better than we
have. Six times."
Joe Crede's second-inning RBI double gave the White Sox a lead they would
never relinquish, Konerko sealing victory with his second homer and 23rd of the
season with a three-run blast in the seventh inning.
That was more than enough support for Garland (9-3) who was superb,
collecting his fifth straight decision after allowing just one run on six hits
with five strike outs and a walk.
"At this level, I don't know if I believe in getting inside another team's
head," Konerko said. "We used to play Minnesota and they were not in our head
but there was a feeling that they had our number that year.
"We are not at that point yet (with Detroit)."
Placido Polanco singled for the Tigers' run in the fifth inning, trimming the
deficit to 2-1 but Detroit would get no closer and went on to lose their second
straight game after returning from the all-star break with three consecutive
wins.
In Boston, rookie Jon Lester allowed one hit in eight innings and Alex
Gonzalez drove in the game's only run as Red Sox blanked the Kansas City Royals
1-0.
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