After a stinging extra-inning loss in Baltimore, the good guys needed some good pitching along with some offense. Well that's exactly what they got today against the Rays. Jimmy and Paulie both went yard (back to back) in the 3rd inning, giving Javier some breathing room for the start of the game.
The cat walk bomb from Jim Thome was his 511th (tying Mel Ott for 21st all-time) of his Hall of Fame career and it came when it mattered.
With Jaun Uribe and Nick Swisher on base, Jim continued to climb out of his early season slump and provide offense for the Sox. Juan Uribe is also trying to get out of his slump, going 2 for 5 with an RBI double after going hitless in his last 13 at bats. Joe Crede's bat continues to lead the American League in RBI with him right behind Carlos Pena of Rays for the most homers.
Along with the surge of offense, the pitchers did thier job too. Javier pitched 6 1/3 innings with 4 punch outs, a walk, and 2 earned. The bullpen was called upon again as Matt Thornton and Nick Massett went a combined 2 2/3 innings, with 2 walks, and 2 punchouts.
But the story of the night however, was not the offense, but the poise of the team. Could the Sox shake off a loss, and get a win. We all remember back in '07 how if the Sox lost one, a domino effect would occur and we would go into a 2 or 3 game skid. That does not seem to be the case for this young season. Early or not, you have got to be excited about the rejuvinated sox.
A 9-2 win over any team is a win I will take any day. The Sox have 2 more games in Tampa Bay, then they return home to the Cell when they play the "Bronx Bombers" in the Yankees. Mark Buehrle will take the mound on Saturday at 6:10 on WGN. Let the winning trend continue on the southside...