White Sox Sweep Tribe On Pierzynski's Walk-Off Homer
POSTED: 1:20 am EDT July 3,
2008
Chicago, IL -- (Sports Network) - A.J. Pierzynski's lead-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the streaking Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians and completed a three-game sweep at U.S. Cellular Field.Pierzynski clubbed another solo homer in the second and Brian Anderson added a two-run double for Chicago, which swept the Tribe for a second time this season at home. Jermaine Dye also hit a solo homer for the White Sox, who have reeled off seven straight wins. Jose Contreras gave up four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with six strikeouts and four walks in a no-decision. Scott Linebrink yielded the tying run in the ninth to blow his second save of the season. Adam Russell (2-0) earned his second win in as many nights after tossing a scoreless 10th inning. Grady Sizemore hit a pair of solo home runs -- including one in the ninth to send the game into extra innings -- for the Indians, who have dropped five in a row and eight of 10 overall. Sizemore also singled, walked and scored four runs. Jamey Carroll tripled and knocked in two runs for Cleveland. Masahide Kobayashi (4-4) was charged with the loss in relief of starter C.C. Sabathia, who allowed five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and struck out five over eight innings. Sizemore's blast to the seats in right field off Linebrink to begin the ninth knotted the score at five. Kobayashi sent down the White Sox in order in the bottom half. After Russell worked around a two-out single by David Dellucci in the top of the 10th, Pierzynski drove the first pitch over the wall in left-center. The start of the game was delayed 24 minutes because of rain and Cleveland quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Sizemore singled to open the contest before taking third on a base hit by Ben Francisco and scoring on Jhonny Peralta's RBI single. Chicago answered in the home half on Pierzynski's sixth home run of the season, a one-out shot to right. After Carlos Quentin lined out, Dye gave the White Sox the lead when he hammered Sabathia's offering over the left-field wall for his 19th home run. The Tribe evened the score in the top of the second. Ryan Garko singled to open the frame, then Kelly Shoppach reached first on Pablo Ozuna's fielding error. Garko advanced to third on Sizemore's deep fly to center and scored on a ground out by Carroll. Ozuna stroked a lead-off double in the bottom half and Nick Swisher followed with an RBI single for a 3-2 lead. Sizemore drew a walk to begin the fifth, swiped second and scored on an RBI triple by Carroll, tying the game at three. Cleveland grabbed a one-run edge in the sixth on Sizemore's 20th home run, but the White Sox pulled ahead with two runs in the seventh. Ozuna reached second on Casey Blake's throwing error and, after Alexei Ramirez singled, Anderson lined a two-run double to center. Game Notes The last time the White Sox swept Cleveland twice in Chicago was 1993...Chicago has won nine straight home games...The Indians left nine men on base, while Chicago stranded five.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.









