Gene Lamont has been forced to ponder it for days-the possibility of being forced to watch the Oakland Athletics clinch the division in Chicago.
”They`re going to clinch somewhere, I guess,” the White Sox manager said before Monday`s game. ”I don`t want it to be here. I want to beat them four in a row.”
He may not have to watch them clinch it. But he won`t beat them four in a row.
Three home runs, two off Alex Fernandez, powered the A`s to a 6-5 victory over the Sox Monday night in front of what was announced as 29,529 in Comiskey Park.
The actual turnout, diminished by events elsewhere, was probably closer to 20,000. The event itself was diminished by the reality of a race that isn`t anymore.
”We`re not mathematically out,” said Lamont, whose team needs to sweep the remaining three games of the series to stay mathematically in. ”We have to cling to that. But we`re close to second, too.”
Not as close as they were.
Ron Darling (15-9), who lasted just 5 2/3 innings before Tony LaRussa went to his formidable bullpen, was the winner. Fernandez (8-10) took the loss.
And Dennis Eckersley saved No. 50.
There was a quick clue this wasn`t going to be Fernandez`s night, and Rickey Henderson provided it when he hit his fourth pitch into the seats in left. It was the 55th time in his career he has led off a game with a homer, the fifth time this season.
Jerry Browne followed that with a single, Ruben Sierra brought him to the plate with a double near the line in left, and it was 2-0.
The Sox matched that in their half. Steve Sax singled off Darling, and he was forced by Raines. A single by Frank Thomas and a walk to Robin Ventura filled the bases for Dan Pasqua, whose line single to left tied it.
The hit was Pasqua`s seventh in his last 14 at-bats.
”It`s been a tough year for him,” said Lamont. ”I think he`ll be able to rebound.”
Fernandez settled down after that shaky beginning and retired the first two hitters in the third inning when Harold Baines drew a walk. Up came Mark McGwire, who drilled his 40th homer deep into the seats in left-center. Oakland was up 4-2. A walk, two infield hits and a flyball by Browne made it 5-2 in the fourth.
In the sixth inning, with Donn Pall pitching, Browne hit his third homer of the year, and the A`s led by three.
But the Sox began chipping away.
A double by Lance Johnson and Dale Sveum`s single in their sixth made it 6-3. That knocked out Darling.
In the seventh, Raines singled off Jim Corsi, and Thomas walked. George Bell hit a double-play bouncer to Carney Lansford at third, but his throw to second wound up in right field. Raines scored, and Thomas wound up on third. A deep fly by Lance Johnson pulled the Sox to within a run.
That`s as close as they came.
Before the season, maybe it was the Twins who were favored.
”I knew Minnesota was good, but Oakland was still a force,” said Lamont. ”They still had Rickey Henderson and (Jose) Canseco, and if McGwire came back, they had a good team.
The A`s can clinch it as early as Wednesday if the Twins cooperate. Lamont would just as soon it not happen quite so soon.
