Manager Ozzie Guillen admitted he was so angry with the White Sox’s lack of fundamentals Monday that he was tempted to set up a pitching machine so his players could work on their bunting between games of a doubleheader.
The importance of executing became even more apparent Tuesday night as Detroit executed two sacrifice bunts that led to five runs en route to a 6-3 lead.
Gerald Laird’s sacrifice bunt set up Adam Everett’s two-run double in the fifth inning, and the catcher’s bunt in the seventh led to Placido Polanco’s bases-loaded double off reliever Octavio Dotel that snapped a 3-3 tie.
But the Sox rallied in the ninth to prevent Mark Buehrle from suffering his second consecutive loss, tying the game 6-6. A bases-loaded walk to Jim Thome made it 6-4, and Paul Konerko tied it with a double that nearly won it. Dewayne Wise was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first on the hit.
With several scouts in attendance, an extended losing trend could force the Sox to be sellers instead of buyers with teams showing a willingness to deal much sooner rather than wait for the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.
Tensions mounted in the fourth after what seemed to be a routine groundout by A.J. Pierzynski.
Television cameras showed Pierzynski making a one-word comment in the direction of pitcher Dontrelle Willis and second baseman Polanco while jogging to the dugout.
Laird jogged toward Pierzynski and had a few words with him near home plate.
Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera charged in quickly, but Guillen intercepted him as the dugouts and bullpens from both teams emptied quickly.
Pierzynski remained calm as he moved away from the center of the scrum and order eventually was restored.
Earlier in the at-bat, Willis threw a high-and-tight pitch that prompted Pierzynski to bail out.
Pierzynski had a chance to return the favor in the fifth with the bases loaded, but he hit a grounder that Willis knocked down while on the ground. Willis regained his balance to throw to first for the final out of the inning. Willis slowly got off the ground, with Pierzynski asking if he was OK and Willis nodding his head.
Much of the tension before the game surrounded Guillen and his displeasure with the local media’s hype over the promotion of 2008 first-round pick Gordon Beckham and Josh Fields’ disappointment over being relegated to a utility role with a .237 batting average.
Beckham finally singled with two out in the second for his first major-league hit after 13 at-bats.
Beckham received a standing ovation as soon as his hit fell safely into center field.
Since being promoted from Triple-A Charlotte, Beckham has started at third in five of the Sox’s last seven games while Fields has started only three times.
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mgonzales@tribune.com
Tuesday’s late result
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Up next
Wednesday vs. Tigers, 7:11 p.m., CSN
