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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Clinching the AL Central title early gave the Chicago White Sox the luxury of resting injured players and realigning the starting rotation. But manager Jerry Manuel wanted to win, too.
The White Sox won 6-4 over Kansas City on Friday night for the
first time since clinching the division on Sept. 24, snapping a
five-game losing streak.
"I don't like losing five (games). I don't like losing one," Manuel said.
Magglio Ordonez hit a tiebreaking two-run home run that lifted the White Sox to the victory, ending their longest losing skid of
the season.
"I feel good about the fact that we're there (in the
playoffs)," Chicago's Paul Konerko said. "It appears (Oakland and
Seattle) are playing better baseball than we are. But we played
well early. Right now, we're gathering steam."
Ordonez's 32nd homer came with two outs and the game tied at 4
in the seventh, after Frank Thomas walked on four pitches. Ordonez hit the first pitch off Dan Reichert (8-10) to give Chicago a 6-4 lead.
Chris Singleton had tied the game at 3 in the second inning with a three-run inside the park homer. It was the second inside the
park home run this season by the White Sox.
Chad Bradford (1-0) picked up the win in 1 2-3 innings of
one-hit relief. Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for his 34th save
and 12th straight.
Jim Parque, who may start Game 1 of the AL Division Series, tuned up by throwing 54 pitches over three innings. He gave up
three runs on eight hits.
"He was OK. I don't know if he was as sharp as he's been in the past," Manuel said. "Once the adrenalin gets flowing (in the playoffs), I think he can execute better."
Parque may be moved up in the playoff rotation if Mike Sirotka
does not recover from a hyperextended left elbow suffered Thursday.
The White Sox will know more about Sirotka's availability after he
throws on the side either Saturday or Sunday.
"You know that if there's any human way for those guys to get
out there, they'll do it," Konerko said of the injured pitchers
which include Sirotka, Cal Eldred and James Baldwin.
"We've had our horses go down, but it's a team thing and there's
nothing tighter than this team," said Sean Lowe, who may start Game 2.
"I wouldn't put anything past the White Sox," Royals manager
Tony Muser said. "In a short series, anything can happen and they
have as much a chance to win as anybody."
Reichert lost his fourth straight start, giving up six runs on nine hits and three walks over 6 2-3 innings.
Carlos Febles, Johnny Damon and Rey Sanchez each hit RBI singles
off Parque in the Royals' second to go ahead 3-0.
The White Sox answered in their half when, with runners at first
and second and none out, Singleton hit a 3-2 pitch from Reichert
that dropped in front of a sliding Damon in center. The ball rolled
all the way to the wall and Singleton raced home for the first
inside the park homer by a White Sox at new Comiskey Park.
"When I hit the ball, I saw the way (Damon) went for it and I
knew I had a chance," Singleton said. "Once I got to third base,
I looked to see what (coach) Wallace Johnson was doing and he was
waving his arm."
"I probably could've played it into a double but I tried for
it," said Damon, who was playing in left center. "I didn't see it
that great and the ball tricked me."
Rookie Joe Crede gave Chicago a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning
with a sacrifice fly, his first career RBI.
The Royals tied the game at 4 on Sanchez's RBI single in the
seventh off Lowe.
Game notes
When Damon scored in the second, it was his 134th run,
setting a single-season club record. The old mark was 133 set by Willie Wilson in 1980. "It's nice to be on top, to have the record," Damon said. "It means the guys after me in the lineup, (Mike) Sweeney, (Jermaine) Dye, have done a great job." ... Parque
finished the regular season at 13-6 with a 4.28 ERA, setting career highs in wins and innings pitched (187). ... Konerko hit the White Sox's other inside the park homer this year on April 11 at Tampa
Bay. ... 2B Ray Durham played for the first time in a week after suffering bruised ribs in a collision at home plate Sept. 22 in
Minnesota.
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Chi. White Sox Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 13
NY Yankees 2
Cleveland 8
Toronto 4
Detroit 1
Minnesota 0
Tampa Bay 8
Boston 6
Chi. White Sox 6
Kansas City 4
Anaheim 9
Seattle 3
Oakland 7
Texas 5
Florida 7
Philadelphia 1
Pittsburgh 8
Chicago Cubs 4
NY Mets 11
Montreal 2
Colorado 4
Atlanta 2
Milwaukee 13
Houston 3
Cincinnati 8
St. Louis 1
San Francisco 4
Arizona 3
Los Angeles 3
San Diego 0
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