Keith Foulke was sitting idly in the White Sox dugout late Tuesday night, perhaps pondering if room service still would be available when the bus got back to the team hotel.
The Sox were in the middle of a laugher over Cincinnati, but the last laugh was almost on the Sox, who watched a 12-run, seventh-inning lead dwindle away in a 17-12 victory over the Reds.
Manager Jerry Manuel had Foulke warming up at the end of the slugfest before Jesus Pena managed to get the final three outs.
“I was just sitting there watching the game,” Foulke said. “I wasn’t really ready for that.”
The Sox knocked out 19 hits, turned five double plays and received another solid outing from starter Cal Eldred (6-2). It was the most runs Cincinnati has allowed since a 17-9 loss to Atlanta on May 1, 1985.
Carlos Lee led the attack with four hits–including a pair of doubles–and four RBIs, while Frank Thomas smacked a three-run homer and drove in four runs. Everyone in the Sox starting lineup had at least one hit, including Eldred. The first six batters–Ray Durham, Tony Graffanino, Thomas, Magglio Ordonez, Lee and Jeff Abbott–each had at least two hits and one or more RBIs apiece.
The Sox have won 15 of their last 22 games and 6 of 8 on their current trip, improving to a season-high 11 games above .500. Eldred left with a 13-1 lead, allowing four hits in 61/3 innings.
“You pitch the day after `J.B.’ [James Baldwin], so you know how to do it,” Eldred said.
But Sean Lowe, Kevin Beirne and Pena–all were pounded in mop-up duty.
“We have to do whatever we need to do to win,” Manuel said. “Fortunately for us, we were able to hold on.”
