Frank Thomas hit two homers in a game for the first time in the big leagues, and Ramon Garcia won a game for the first time in the big leagues.
But the sixth inning was pretty funny.
The White Sox beat the foundering Boston Red Sox 7-1 Monday night in front of 34,798 in Comiskey Park. It was the 16th victory in 22 games for the White Sox and lifted them seven games above .500, a season high.
Thomas homered in the third and fifth innings. Both were off Boston starter Mike Gardiner (3-3), just off the disabled list with a ribcage muscle strain.
”I failed to execute,” said Gardiner. ”Therefore, I lose.”
”I`ve had that happen in my career a lot of times,” Thomas said of the multi-homer incident, thinking back to the minors, ”so I don`t really get too excited. But we won the ballgame. That was very exciting.”
Garcia (1-3), who hadn`t won in eight starts, pitched well enough, though he didn`t finish the sixth inning.
”I got lucky for once,” Garcia said.
Lucky. That brings us to the White Sox sixth.
It was still a 2-1 ballgame when Lance Johnson beat out a hit to deep short and continued to second on Luis Rivera`s throwing error. Red Sox manager Joe Morgan switched to Tony Fossas, Cora bunted, the throw went to third and everyone was safe.
”That`s what speed can do for you,” said Sox manager Jeff Torborg.
Ozzie Guillen was next, and he poked a pitch that was off the plate and just off the ground past Wade Boggs at third for a single that made it 3-1. Then Tim Raines beat out a bunt single to load the bases.
Up came Robin Ventura. He dribbled one toward first base that Mo Vaughn gloved, but no one was able to cover first. Ventura had a hit, and the Sox had another run.
Morgan switched to Dennis Lamp, and Thomas popped to short right for the inning`s first out. Dan Pasqua grounded to Vaughn for the second out, but another run scored, and there were White Sox on second and third for Carlton Fisk.
Fisk usually punishes Boston pitching just for the sheer, nostalgic joy of it but was without an RBI in six games against the Bosox this year. This time, he rifled the inning`s first audible hit down the left-field line for a double, and the Sox led 7-1.
”That,” said Fisk, ”was a pretty odd inning.”
”The ugliest inning I`ve seen in years,” said Morgan.
”Our type of game,” Torborg called it, without having the decency to blush. ”Because we`ve played so many close ones, you`ve got to be able to do that, and we work hard to try to get it done.”
Garcia got it done, but not easily. The first man he faced, Boggs, homered. Sunday in Milwaukee, the first man Jack McDowell faced, Paul Molitor, homered.
”We`ve got a new strategy,” said Torborg. ”Give up a home run to the first guy in the game, then shut `em out the rest of the way.
”Somebody in the dugout-I think it was Charlie Hough-said, `Aha, you shouldn`t have done that.` ”
They didn`t do much with Garcia. Rivera reached on an infield single in the second, Tony Pena doubled in the fourth, and there were four walks-but no runs.
In the Boston sixth, Ellis Burks reached on a Ventura error and went to second on a balk. One out later, Garcia hit Pena with a pitch. Torborg didn`t wait.
”I didn`t want him to get rattled,” Torborg said. ”I said, `That`s it. We`re not messing around.` ”
”I could`ve pitched to the next hitter,” Garcia said. ”Maybe he thought I was tired, but I wasn`t tired. I went eight days without throwing.
”But that`s his decision. I am happy.”
Donn Pall finished that inning and protected the one-run lead. After the five-run Sox sixth, Ken Patterson came on and stopped the Red Sox over the final three innings for his first save of the year.
”Our offense still can get better,” Fisk said.
Maybe. But it couldn`t get much more interesting than it was Monday night.
”We`re playing total team baseball right now,” Thomas said. ”We`ve got everyone contributing in good spots.
”I really think the tide has turned for this team. We believe we can win, and that`s the key.”
