posted on Sunday, September 16, 2007 11:59 PM by Jim

September 16: White Sox 9, Angels 7

Jim Thome finally smashed his 500th homer, and it came at a most dramatic time -- in the bottom of the ninth inning, sealing the deal on a six-run comeback.  He's the first member of the 500 Home Run Club to reach the milestone via the walkoff.

The game itself was as dramatic as its end.  After swapping eights and sixes earlier this season, the White Sox traded fours in the seventh inning with the Angels.

Mark Buehrle pitched better than his line indicated, but he received no luck from Lady Luck, his defense (Josh Fields could've played a warning-track flyball better, and Andy Gonzalez booted a ball to let a run score), or his bullpen (Ryan Bukvich walked in a run). 

Even his two gopher balls weren't awful pitches.  The first was the result of Vladimir Guerrero doing things only he can, taking an outside pitch over the wall in right.  Juan Rivera just plain beat him on the other one, anticipating a cutter that didn't get in enough.

Yet the Sox came right back with four of their own, thanks to help from some unlikely sources.

*Toby Hall earning his second RBI of the year with a line drive single over the outstretched glove of a leaping Maicier Izturis.

*Josh Fields hit a three-run homer, which wouldn't be so strange had it not happened on a 94-m.p.h. Chris Bootcheck fastball.  He's had his share of problems catching up on anything faster than 91, but he took this one the other way into the Bullpen Sports Bar.

Making matters better, Danny Richar tied it up with a no-doubter two-run shot to right center.  Richar had a great day, scoring three runs on two hits and a walk.

All of that set up Thome, who came to the plate in the ninth inning hitless in his last 11 at-bats.  Preceded by a Darin Erstad single, Thome took an outside-half fastball and took it over the wall in left-center to end the game, officially starting his Hall of Fame candidacy discussion in the process.

Record: 64-85 | Box score | Play-by-play

Comments

# re: September 16: White Sox 9, Angels 7

Monday, September 17, 2007 11:36 AM by Gregory Pratt
I want to see Fields pull a few fastballs, man. It's good and well to be strong enough to blast one the other way but if he doesn't learn how to rip a fastball, he's going to wind up getting pitched inside and being completely overmatched. In fact, I expect that to be the plan against him next year if he doesn't speed the bat up.

# re: September 16: White Sox 9, Angels 7

Monday, September 17, 2007 1:24 PM by Dad
I think Thome’s 500th HR will be the last feel good moment for the Sox this season. It puts a nice cap on Bobby Jenks tieing the most consecutive batters retired record and Buerle’s no hitter. It was nice to see, especially as a walk-off, but I personally don’t get as jazzed by it as I would if it was done by a long-time Sox player. I was surprised by the amount of passion Hawk put into the call. I think he put his eye socket blood vessels at risk again. But it’s been a long season of self restraint for all the Sox announcers - trying to find the positive in crappy performances, and when that was not possible, saying nothing. It’s definitely turning out to be the year of the “Dadgummit!”.

# re: September 16: White Sox 9, Angels 7

Monday, September 17, 2007 3:59 PM by Jim Margalus
Yup. I was just ecstatic Fields made contact on a fastball, though. I think that's why we've seen Fields' average drop over the past two weeks, because pitchers finally have the book on him, and he hasn't compensated by shortening his swing and getting the hands up/in faster.

I'm kind of the same way with Thome's homer, but I'm going to write more about that tonight. It would've been interesting to see how jazzed Hawk would've been without the walkoff factor. I expected to hear "Joooooe! Crede!" after yesterday's call.

# re: September 16: White Sox 9, Angels 7

Monday, September 17, 2007 6:03 PM by Gregory Pratt
You know, for as good as Thome has been through his career, I think, every year, I can think of ten guys, at least, whose season and presence I'd take over his. And as far as this milestone, good for him, but I was disappointed that his power died all season and then in garbage time he wakes up? Whoa.