2007 State of the Sox

August 24: Red Sox 11, White Sox 3

Honestly, I'd take this start from Jon Garland anytime.  He didn't walk anybody, kept the ball in the yard and wasn't hit all that hard.

(Yes, I know technically he walked David Ortiz to start the eighth, the last batter he faced.  However, considering he'd thrown 102 pitches through seven and the Sox have roughly 1,727 guys in their bullpen, there was no reason for Ozzie Guillen to send him back out there.)

The problem for Garland was that more than half the hits he allowed came in one inning -- a four-run fifth that ultimately decided this game.  The one that gave the Red Sox the lead was a single that split Garland's wickets.  If he gets a glove on that like he usually does, he might've been able to start a 1-6-3 double play.  Danny Richar's first error on a nubber to second didn't help matters either.

Otherwise, Garland looked OK.  The bullpen, on the other hand, didn't.

Ozzie probably ran Garland out in the seventh because Ortiz is left-handed, and he didn't want to burn a lefty only to face two right-handers afterwards.

Of course, that approach only pays off with good relievers.  Ryan Bukvich isn't one, and surely enough, he allowed both righties he faced to reach base to load the bases.  Boone Logan allowed a sacrifice fly, which forced an intentional walk, and then Ehren Wassermann gave up a single to score another.

Wassermann actually got the job done -- he needed to get ground balls, and induced three of them.  Unfortunately, Kevin Youkilis' bounced through the left side.  Another led to a forceout at home, and the other was an inning-ending 4-3.

That's more than you can say about Mike Myers, who, after today's appearance, has allowed seven hits, two walks and six runs in his first two innings with the White Sox.

Meanwhile, the Sox offense made Josh Beckett work a little, but not nearly enough.  Their best chance came in the first inning, when Beckett loaded the bases on a double and two walks, and walked in Jermaine Dye to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.  Juan Uribe, however, struck out looking on an iffy 3-2 fastball to end the thread.  It was only the 10th time Uribe has earned a backwards K this season.

Josh Fields hit home run No. 16 to cut the lead to 5-3, but the Boston bullpen held the Sox down the rest of the way.

Record: 56-71 | Box score | Play-by-play