Chicago – They are, in essence, mismatched Sox.
The national perception of Ozzie Guillen’s Chicago team is a group of grinders who scratch out runs. There’s so much talk of small ball, you half expect the White Sox to trot out a lineup of Keebler Elves swinging souvenir bats.
That image is amusing, if not inaccurate. Let no one suggest that Chicago doesn’t have muscle.
Not after they hand delivered a bare-knuckle blast to Boston’s face, tagging the Red Sox with their most lopsided loss in postseason history.
The final score was 14-2, a drubbing measured more by ovations than runs.
A standing-room only crowd, inspired by seeing the White Sox’s first home playoff win since 1959, issued five curtain calls. That’s what happens when a team belts five home runs and its starting pitcher (Jose Contreras) delivers the most compelling performance of his career.
Small ball? The only time the ball grew small Tuesday was when it rocketed over the U.S. Cellular Field fence.
“It was a good feeling when I got a curtain call,” White Sox slugger Paul Konerko said before adding in jest, “but when there were seven or eight more after that it wasn’t the same.”
Let no one question the White Sox’s brawn. Even the Yankees, in their bloody-fisted demolition of the Red Sox in Game 3 of the last year’s ALCS, didn’t deliver this type of beating.
Catcher A.J. Pierzynski hit two home runs, the first White Sox player to do that since Ted Kluszewski accomplished the feat 46 years ago. Former Rockies shortstop Juan Uribe, a playoff neophyte, went deep. But no hit captured the White Sox’s dual identity like Scott Podsednik. He is the face of Chicago’s running game, applying pressure by stealing bases and advancing on Tadahito Iguchi sacrifice bunts.
At 4:22 MDT, Podsednik obliged the fans with a wave from the dugout, bathing in praise after hitting his first home run since Sept. 30, 2004.
“We have been telling him all year that he’s going to hit one,” Pierzynski said. “He picked the right time.”
The primary receipt of the abuse was Red Sox starter Matt Clement. Unlike today’s starter David Wells, who embraces the big stage, Clement had Jell-O legs. A former Cub – which explains why he earned the loudest boos in pregame introductions – Clement appeared nervous, gripping the ball too tight. He missed his spots by feet, not inches.
The first inning lasted 28 minutes. Clement threw 29 pitches, dissolving before his teammates’ eyes as the White Sox accelerated to a 5-0 lead.
“It’s not fun, especially as much as this team battles,” said Clement, who retired 10 batters and allowed eight runs. “But hopefully it’s one game. This team is pretty resilient.”
On Tuesday, they provided little resistance to Contreras, a former whipping boy when with the Yankees. That pitcher reacted to adversity by trying to throw harder. Rather than rely on heat, Contreras, who has won nine consecutive decisions, commanded his fastball and forced the Red Sox to flail aimlessly at his splitter.
For all intents and purposes, when David Ortiz struck out in the first inning with a runner on second, the game was over.
“Him getting Ortiz and then Manny (Ramirez) sent a message,” Pierzynski said. “That was big. From there he got on a roll and so did we.”
…
Game 1: Tuesday: White Sox 14, Red Sox 2
Game 2: Today: Red Sox’s David Wells (15-7, 4.45 ERA) at White Sox’s Mark Buehrle (16-8, 3.12), 5:09 p.m., ESPN
Game 3: Friday: White Sox’s Freddy Garcia (14-8, 3.87) at Red Sox’s Tim Wakefield (16-12, 4.15), 2:19 p.m, ESPN2
Game 4*: Saturday: White Sox’s Jon Garland (18-10, 3.50) at Red Sox’s Curt Schilling (8-8, 5.69), TBD
Game 5*: Sunday: Red Sox at White Sox, TBD
*-If necessary
