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It’s another victory for the South Siders! With last night’s victory, the Sox have won 6 out of their last 7 games. And while this still only puts them in third place of the AL Central Division, one must take in account that the Sox play in one of the toughest divisions where even a .545 percentage can put a team in the middle of the standings. Oh well, it was an exciting game against the Kansas City Royals (which granted, are the worst team in MLB right now). With two outs and down by one in the bottom of the ninth, Erstad hits a double to keep the Sox alive. Next batter Juan Uribe than knocks a ball a mere inches from being a homer, scoring Erstad to tie the game. In the 10th, Dye wins the game for the Good Guys. Apryl was even mildly into this one, rooting “if you believe clap your hands…”

1. The Sox vs. Santana… Ervin Santana. This is the second pitcher with a last name of Santana (Johan Santana from the Twins was the first) that we’ve face this year.
2. Jim Thome returns from the DL only to have to walk off the field in pain after one swing at the bat. Looks like it’s back to the DL (disabled list).
3. The Sox get back to back homers in the 4th from Dye and Pierzynski.
4. There was so much smoke from the fireworks during the back to back home runs that the rest of the inning was played in a haze.
5. During the last couple games, Erstad has been getting out of his hitting slump. Tonight saw Erstad hit a double and get a RBI.
6. When Gooch hit for a triple in the 8th, he was hit on top of his batting helmet while slidding into third. Sometimes baseball can be a contact sport.
7. After watching all these games (and listening to non televised games on the radio), I’m really getting the itch to see a game in person.
8. In non Sox news, the Bulls win game 3 against the Miami Heat.
9. During most of the game, Apryl was on the computer working on my birthday present. She even moved her computer into the guest bedroom so that there wouldn’t be a chance I would see what she was doing. I have been told over and over not to be scared about the surprise. Let’s just say I’m very befuddled.

The Sox sure are a scrappy bunch, complete with a “never say die” attitude. And I’m loving it! Tonight, we even got major hits from struggling Anderson and Erstad. And, after a rough seventh inning where we lost the lead, my boy Joe Crede hits a homer in the top of the 8th to tie the game. In the 9th, we score two more runs, which are enough to prevent us from going into extra innings. The best part is that with tonight’s victory, the Sox are tied with #1 in the AL Central!

1. `Tis the season for Saturday afternoon baseball!
2. Last night, I went out to eat at Giordano’s with a TV crew that I had been working with all week. So Apryl and I had leftovers while watching the game.
3. Apryl watched most of the game with me until falling asleep around the 7th inning.
4. When the Tigers scored 4 runs in the first inning with a grand slam, I thought it was going to be long day at the ballpark. Fortunately, the Sox played great ball to come back, without having to rely on a homerun.
5. The Tigers’ 3 errors certainly helped us as well.
6. After explaining to Apryl that a foul ball counts as a strike but that a batter could not strike out with a foul, I was told that “whoever came up with the rules for baseball must have been drunk.”
7. Brian Anderson, a fan favorite but seldom used player, was brought in as a pinch runner for Jim Thome. He would later score a run. However, he didn’t get the chance to hit the next inning after Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had Rod Mackowiak pinch hit for Anderson. Mackowiak would pop out.
8. This was the first game sent into extra innings that I have seen this season. Well, one inning, since the Sox won the game with two more runs in the 10th.
9. After three straight losses reported on the blog, I thought I was starting to jinx the Sox (even when they had won their last previous outings). Today, the Good Guys proved me wrong, and now we’ve won our last 4 games and are in 2nd place in the Central AL!

The Sox win tonight against the Texas Rangers 6-0. Mark Buehrle pitches a no hitter, which makes the 16th no hitter in Chicago White Sox history. Jim Thome hits two home runs, and Jermaine Dye hits a grand slam. Perhaps, the best game of the season (thus far). But instead of broadcasting the game, Comcast gives us the Cubs getting beat by the Braves. Dang!

After a short break, I’m back with another one of these:

1. Leaving a shoot today I got to see the Sox fans making their way to the ballpark.
2. Tonight’s game was the first one I had seen broadcasted on WCIU, which is the same station that Svengoolie airs on.
3. While I understand that Pods was out due to an injury, I don’t understand where our home run leader Juan Uribe was tonight.
4. The Sox’s only run was from a Jim Thome home run over the 400ft fence in the fourth.
5. Other than the occasional home run, the Sox lacks any type of offense. Most of the team are barely hitting over 200. Ugh.
6. The legendary Sammy Sosa played his first game in Chicago since his days in the Cubs. And was booed. He also hit a double and a home run.
7. This is going to be frustrating year. I see us competing with the Indians throughtout the season for a third place position in the AL Central Division. Detroit Tigers should remain #1 most of the season with Minnesota Twins a few games back at 2nd.
8. The first couple of innings were watched during commerical breaks of the new episode of Gilmore Girls, while eating a great dinner cooked by Apryl.
9. Go Sox!

Ouch! Tonight’s game was a heartbreaker! Despite an impressive outing from pitcher Jon Garland through 7 innings and having the lead since the 5th, the Sox give up three hits in the bottom of the 9th from relief pitcher Bobby Jenks and take a loss. We even missed Andrew Bird on Letterman to watch the dreadful end. So, I shall do my best to give you my comments:

1. I made homemade pizza tonight but since the game didn’t start until 9pm CST I didn’t get to enjoy it with the game.
2. The WGN commentators for the away games are less enthusiastic for the real “home” team.
3. Apryl started watching the game with me but fell asleep around the 4th inning. She would wake up towards the end of the game.
4. No homeruns for tonight’s game. However, Juan Uribe does get the RBI in the 5th for the Sox’s only score.
5. Despite having the highest batting average on the home team, even hitting a homer the night before helping the Sox beat the A’s, Steve Podsednik gets very little love from the Sox fans. It didn’t help that the game winning hit in the 9th wasn’t caught by Pods, but instead bounced off his head.
6. Being a Grizzlies fan (and heck, a U of M Tigers fan), I understand heartbreak losses. When they happen you question why you even torture yourself following these game so closely. Then, of couse, the good guys come through and make you proud again.
7. Favorite quote from an expletively littered South Side Sox blog tonight, “Terrible way to end the night. Sleep is not going to be easy.”
8. Apryl really doesn’t like the intentional walk. Whenever it happens, she likes to utter, “There is no honor in this game. No dignity.”
9. Apryl’s sisters are coming to town on Thursday night, so I might be skipping out on TV Game #5 (Sox vs. Indians).

(Eva watching the Good Guys.)

Well, the Sox lost their first televised game (at least on basic cable) against the Twins. I didn’t even realize that today’s game was being broadcasted until I turned on the TV and happened to catch the first pitch. Anyway, here we go:

1. Today’s matchup: The Sox vs. Santana… Johan Santana that is, one of the best pitchers right now in baseball.
2. The starting pitcher for the Sox was John Danks who was making his major league debut. Other than the 3 runs he gave up in the 4th inning, he was quite impressive.
3. For several innings after the 4th, the WGN scoreboard going into commericals stated that the score was 0 – 0.
4. On a full count, it’s always amusing when a batter watches the last pitch, assuming that it’s a ball, yet the plate umpire calls it a strike. Embarrassing. Even more embarrassing when there are two outs, and the batter is already trying to take their base, while the defense is running towards the bullben.
5. I’m starting to recognize several routines from Sox batters when they’re up to bat. Before each pitch, Thome likes to extend his bat from his body, pointing it towards center field. Konerko spits into the palms of his gloves and rubs them together for extra friction.
6. The camera angle for close up’s on right-handed batters showed two girls that held up small, hand-written signs. One of them said: Happy Easter. The other: Hello Sarah. After nine innings, I think Sarah’s got the message.
7. The Easter bunny entertained the crowd with the Robot Dance.
8. A ten year old sings “God Bless America” during the 7th inning stretch.
9. The second televised Sox homer is once again provided by Juan Uribe.