Game 115: Aug 13, 1999 (L: 4-2)
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My Commentary

Ugh.  That's about all I have to say about this game.  :) 

In all seriousness, we got in a hole early, and couldn't get out.  Burkett pitched fair, but their guys pitched a lot better.  Considering this was the first game of a doubleheader, I was surprised they used 5 pitchers.  Their starter went 5 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 3 hits.  The remaining pitchers gave up the same - 1 run on 3 hits (one of which was a Rusty home run).

However, we just never got it going, and we looked asleep.

-- Joe Siegler

Game Recap

CHICAGO (TICKER) -- Rookie Kip Wells allowed just one run and three hits over five innings in his second career start as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Texas Rangers, 4-2, in the first game of a twi-night doubleheader.

The White Sox snapped their season-high seven-game losing streak, their longest skid since dropping eight straight from June 15-22, 1996.

Wells (2-0), who was recalled from Double-A Birmingham prior to the game, struck out six and walked two before turning the game over to the bullpen. Four relievers combined to surrender just one run and three hits over the final four innings.

A 22-year-old righthander, Wells gave up just two runs -- one earned -- and six hits over 5 1/3 innings in a victory at Detroit on August 2 and was optioned to the minors the next day.

Wells, who was sent back to the minors following the contest, was a first-round draft choice of the White Sox in 1998. He was the second pitcher from that draft to advance to the major leagues, joining Jeff Weaver of Detroit.

John Burkett (3-6) struck out the first two batters he faced in the first inning before issuing a walk to Frank Thomas before Magglio Ordonez blooped a double to left. Paul Konerko followed with a soft single to right, giving the White Sox a 2-0 lead.

"Strikeout, strikeout, then I walked Frank Thomas. Then it was a curveball into Ordonez," Burkett said of the first inning. "They didn't hit too many balls hard. It's frustrating. It's part of the game. I was battling and it was the 'hit 'em where they ain't' game."

The Rangers cut the deficit in half in the fourth, when Rusty Greer singled and came around to score on Lee Stevens' fielder's choice grounder. But Chicago regained its' two-run advantage in the fifth on an RBI single by Ordonez.

The fourth inning was Texas' best chance to get to Wells. Greer and Rafael Palmeiro drew walks to begin the frame and advanced on Wells' balk before Stevens' bouncer to first scored a run. But with Palmeiro standing on third, Roberto Kelly struck out swinging and Clayton went down looking.

"Their pitcher did a pretty good job," Burkett said of Wells.

Mike Caruso's groundout in the sixth scored Greg Norton, who had led off the inning with a single, giving the White Sox a 4-1 advantage.

Jesus Pena and Bill Simas each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the White Sox before Keith Foulke surrendered Rusty Greer's 10th homer in the eighth.

Foulke yielded to Bob Howry in the ninth, when the first two Rangers went down quietly before Royce Clayton singled to left. But Howry got Tom Goodwin to ground to first for the final out and record his 19th save in 23 opportunities.

The Rangers, who fell to 20-8 since the All-Star break, dropped their second straight and have lost five of their last eight.

Texas had chances to get to Wells in both the fourth and fifth innings, but was unable to come up with the big hit.

Recap #2

CHICAGO (AP) -- Kip Wells is the right guy for the Chicago White Sox but it's the wrong time.

Wells (2-0) won his second big league start Friday night to give the White Sox a 4-2 victory in the first game of a doubleheader against the Texas Rangers. The 22-year-old was then optioned back to the minors after the game.

Ray Durham drove in three runs in the second game to lead the White Sox to a 7-4 victory and a sweep of the Rangers.

Durham hit a two-run homer and a RBI single off Ryan Glenn (2-4) in the second game for the White Sox, who had lost a season-high seven straight before the sweep.

"It was good to finally win some games," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said.

Texas has lost six of its last nine games and saw its lead over Oakland in the AL West slip to 5½ games.

"Anytime you get swept in a doubleheader, it's frustrating. Frustrating all the way through," Texas' Rafael Palmeiro said.

Wells could have been frustrated or upset or simply miffed that he was packing his bags for Birmingham for the second time after his second win. But he wasn't.

"I've had success above and beyond what I could've asked for," Wells said. "I didn't expect to walk in here and take over. It's part of the business. They've got five guys in the rotation. Six won't do it."

"He does make it difficult," Manuel said of Wells who may be back with the club Aug. 30 for its final doubleheader against Seattle. "It was a spot start. Our people in the rotation are pretty well set."

In the second game, James Baldwin (6-11) gave up two runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings for his second win in his last eight starts.

"Anytime you shut a team like that down, it's good," Baldwin said. "They can definitely hit the ball."

After Magglio Ordonez's RBI groundout in the first gave Chicago the lead, Brook Fordyce hit a run-scoring double and scored on Durham's single in the second to make it 3-0. Chris Singleton added an RBI double in the third.

Durham hit his 13th homer in the fourth to make it 6-0 and Caruso added a run-scoring groundout in the sixth.

Glynn gave up six runs and nine hits in five-plus innings.

Rusty Greer hit solo homers in both games and had a two-run single in the seventh of the nightcap for the Rangers. Greer has 11 homers.

Lee Stevens added a solo homer in the ninth for Texas.

In the opener, Wells (2-0), Chicago's No. 1 pick in the 1998 amateur draft, gave up one run, three hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out six and overcame a 56-minute rain delay in the top of the third.

The right-hander won his major-league debut Aug. 2 against Detroit, allowing two runs -- one earned -- in 5 1/3 innings.

"We had some ugly swings against him," Texas manager Johnny Oates said. "It looked like the ball went where he wanted it to go."

He was sent back to Double-A Birmingham following that start and recalled before Friday's doubleheader. Immediately after the first game, Wells was again optioned to Birmingham.

Bob Howry pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 23 chances.

With runners on second and third and two outs in the first, Paul Konerko blooped a single into shallow right off John Burkett (3-6) to score two runs.

"When that (first) inning was over, I was happy to keep it to two (runs)," Burkett said. "Their pitcher did a good job. He held our hitters down."

Texas cut the lead to one in the fourth, when Wells balked with runners on first and second and Lee Stevens followed with an RBI groundout.

Ordonez, who went 3-for-4 in the opener, hit an RBI single in the fifth to make it 3-1 and Caruso added a run-scoring groundout in the sixth.

Burkett allowed four runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.

GAME NOTES: Wells, who started the year at Class A Winston-Salem, was 6-1 with a 2.18 ERA in seven starts at Birmingham this year. ... Infielder Liu Rodriguez was optioned to Birmingham to make room on the roster for Wells. Darrin Jackson was activated from the disabled list to take Wells' spot in Game 2. ... Texas OF Juan Gonzalez did not start for the third straight game because of strained left hamstring suffered Tuesday night. His status was day-to-day. 


Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image)

Putting on the tarp during the rain delay	Chicago starter Kip Wells	Pudge is called out trying to steal second	Rusty scores in the 4th	Mike Caruso hops over Mark McLemore after forcing him out

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL   (1ST GAME)
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
TEXAS               0  0  0   1  0  0   0  1  0     2  6  0
CHI WHITE SOX       2  0  0   0  1  1   0  0  x     4 11  0   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  TEX - JOHN BURKETT, TIM CRABTREE (6TH), MIKE VENAFRO
                  (7TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
            CHA - KIP WELLS, JESUS PENA (6TH), BILL SIMAS (7TH),
                  KEITH FOULKE (8TH), BOB HOWRY (9TH) AND MARK
                  JOHNSON

             WP - KIP WELLS (2-0)
             LP - JOHN BURKETT (3-6)
           SAVE - BOB HOWRY (19)

HOME RUNS:  TEX - RUSTY GREER (10) OFF FOULKE IN THE 8TH, 0 ON
            CHA - NONE

     TIME:  2:56

Box Score
TEXAS (2) AT CHI WHITE SOX (4) - FINAL (1ST GAME)

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Mclemore 2b             3  0  0  0   1  1   3  .288
I Rodriguez c           4  0  1  0   0  1   3  .323
Greer lf                4  2  2  1   0  1   1  .282
R Palmeiro 1b           3  0  0  0   1  1   0  .341
Zeile 3b                3  0  0  0   1  0   2  .298
L Stevens dh            4  0  0  1   0  1   1  .273
R Kelly rf              4  0  1  0   0  1   2  .321
Clayton ss              3  0  2  0   1  1   2  .260
T Goodwin cf            4  0  0  0   0  2   4  .233

Totals                 32  2  6  2   4  9  18

BATTING: 2B - R Kelly (13, K Wells). HR - Greer (10, 8th inning
off Foulke 0 on, 1 out). RBI - L Stevens (64), Greer (67).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - I Rodriguez 1, Clayton 1.
GIDP - I Rodriguez. Team LOB - 7.

BASERUNNING: CS - I Rodriguez (7, 2nd base by K Wells/M Johnson).

FIELDING: DP: 1 (Clayton-Mclemore-R Palmeiro).

CHI WHITE SOX          ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Durham 2b               3  0  1  0   1  1   1  .295
M Caruso ss             4  0  1  1   0  1   1  .261
F Thomas dh             3  2  1  0   1  0   3  .313
M Ordonez rf            4  1  3  1   0  0   0  .310
Konerko 1b              4  0  1  2   0  1   1  .298
Singleton cf            4  0  2  0   0  0   1  .316
C Lee lf                3  0  0  0   0  1   4  .294
 Br Simmons lf          1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .275
Norton 3b               4  1  1  0   0  1   0  .232
M Johnson c             3  0  1  0   0  0   0  .200

Totals                 33  4 11  4   2  6  11

BATTING: 2B - M Ordonez (24, Burkett); F Thomas (29, Burkett).
S - M Johnson. RBI - Konerko 2 (45), M Ordonez (89), M Caruso (26).
2-out RBI - Konerko 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out -
C Lee 2, F Thomas 2. GIDP - Konerko. Team LOB - 8.

FIELDING: DP: 2 (M Johnson-M Caruso, Konerko-M Caruso-Konerko).

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Burkett (L, 3-6)              5 1/3  11   4   4   2   3   0   6.30
Crabtree                        2/3   0   0   0   0   0   0   2.93
Venafro                       2       0   0   0   0   3   0   2.72

CHI WHITE SOX                ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
K Wells (W, 2-0)              5       3   1   1   3   6   0   1.74
J Pena (H, 1)                 1       0   0   0   1   2   0   0.00
Simas (H, 11)                 1       1   0   0   0   0   0   4.22
Foulke (H, 15)                1       1   1   1   0   1   1   2.88
Howry (S, 19)                 1       1   0   0   0   0   0   3.38

WP - Burkett. BALK - K Wells.  Pitches-strikes: K Wells 86-51;
J Pena 15-8; Simas 20-13; Foulke 15-11; Howry 16-9; Burkett 109-66;
Crabtree 9-5; Venafro 23-17.  Ground balls-fly balls: K Wells 4-4;
J Pena 0-1; Simas 2-1; Foulke 2-0; Howry 2-1; Burkett 8-5; Crabtree
2-0; Venafro 3-0.  Batters faced: K Wells 20; J Pena 4; Simas 4;
Foulke 4; Howry 4; Burkett 28; Crabtree 2;
Venafro 6.

UMPIRES: HP--Ray Dimuro. 1B--Bill Miller. 2B--Larry Mccoy.
3B--Chuck Meriwether.
T--2:56 (Plus rain delay for 56 minutes in the 3rd).  Weather: 73 degrees,
cloudy.   Wind: 7 mph, right to left.

AL       TEXAS AT CHI WHITE SOX  (1ST GAME)
         NOTE:  THE GAME IS BEING DELAYED DUE TO RAIN WITH TEXAS BATTING
                IN THE TOP OF THE 3RD INNING.  SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN,
                ROYCE CLAYTON ON FIRST, ROBERTO KELLY ON          SECOND,
                0 OUT
                CURRENT SCORE - CHI WHITE SOX 2, TEXAS 0

AL       TEXAS AT CHI WHITE SOX  (1ST GAME)
         NOTE:  THE GAME HAS RESUMED AFTER A RAIN DELAY.  TEXAS IS
                BATTING IN THE TOP OF THE 3RD INNING.  SITUATION: 0 RUNS
                IN, ROYCE CLAYTON ON FIRST, ROBERTO KELLY ON
                SECOND, 0 OUT
                CURRENT SCORE - CHI WHITE SOX 2, TEXAS 0

AL       TEXAS AT CHI WHITE SOX  (1ST GAME)
         NOTE:  THE GAME RESUMED AFTER A 56 MINUTE RAIN DELAY.

Game Log

Texas Starting Lineups -- Mark Mclemore 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rusty Greer LF, Rafael Palmeiro 1B, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens DH, Roberto Kelly RF, Royce Clayton SS, Tom Goodwin CF, John Burkett RHP.

Chi White Sox Starting Lineups -- Ray Durham 2B, Mike Caruso SS, Frank Thomas DH, Magglio Ordonez RF, Paul Konerko 1B, Chris Singleton CF, Carlos Lee LF, Greg Norton 3B, Mark Johnson C, Kip Wells RHP.

Umpires -- R Dimuro (HP), Miller (1B), L Mccoy (2B), C Meriwether (3B).

Gametime Weather: 73 degrees, Cloudy, wind right to left at 7 mph.

TEXAS 1ST: Mclemore struck out looking. I Rodriguez reached on infield single. Greer struck out swinging. I Rodriguez caught stealing, catcher to shortstop. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, CHI WHITE SOX 0.

CHI WHITE SOX 1ST: Durham struck out swinging. M Caruso struck out swinging. F Thomas walked. M Ordonez doubled to shallow left, F Thomas to third. Konerko singled to shallow right, F Thomas and M Ordonez scored. Singleton singled to right, Konerko to second. C Lee struck out swinging. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

TEXAS 2ND: R Palmeiro flied out to center. Zeile grounded out to third. L Stevens popped out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

CHI WHITE SOX 2ND: Norton grounded out to first. M Johnson grounded out to pitcher. Durham walked. M Caruso reached on bunt single to third, Durham to second. F Thomas popped out to shallow right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

TEXAS 3RD: R Kelly doubled to deep right center. Clayton walked. T Goodwin struck out swinging. Mclemore flied out to shallow left center. I Rodriguez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Clayton out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

CHI WHITE SOX 3RD: M Ordonez reached on infield single. Konerko flied out to deep center, M Ordonez to second. Singleton grounded out to catcher. C Lee grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

TEXAS 4TH: Greer singled to right. R Palmeiro walked, Greer to second. Greer to third, R Palmeiro to second on balk by K Wells. Zeile popped out to second. L Stevens grounded into fielder's choice to first, Greer scored, R Palmeiro to third. R Kelly struck out swinging. Clayton struck out looking. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

CHI WHITE SOX 4TH: Norton flied out to left. M Johnson reached on infield single. Durham flied out to center. M Caruso flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

TEXAS 5TH: T Goodwin struck out swinging. Mclemore walked. I Rodriguez grounded into double play, first to shortstop to first, Mclemore out at second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 2.

CHI WHITE SOX 5TH: F Thomas doubled to deep left center. F Thomas to third on Burkett wild pitch. M Ordonez singled to right, F Thomas scored. Konerko grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, M Ordonez out at second. Singleton singled to right. C Lee grounded out to pitcher. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 3.

TEXAS 6TH: Jesus Pena relieved Kip Wells. Greer popped out to first. R Palmeiro struck out swinging. Zeile walked. L Stevens struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 3.

CHI WHITE SOX 6TH: Norton singled to left center. M Johnson sacrificed Norton to second. Durham reached on infield single, Norton to third. Tim Crabtree relieved John Burkett. M Caruso grounded out to shortstop, Norton scored, Durham to second. F Thomas grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 4.

TEXAS 7TH: Bill Simas relieved Jesus Pena. R Kelly flied out to right center. Clayton singled to center. T Goodwin grounded into fielder's choice to first, Clayton out at second. Mclemore grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 4.

CHI WHITE SOX 7TH: Mike Venafro relieved Tim Crabtree. M Ordonez grounded out to shortstop. Konerko struck out swinging. Singleton grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 1, CHI WHITE SOX 4.

TEXAS 8TH: Br Simmons in left. Keith Foulke relieved Bill Simas. I Rodriguez struck out swinging. Greer homered to right center. R Palmeiro grounded out to first. Zeile grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, CHI WHITE SOX 4.

CHI WHITE SOX 8TH: Br Simmons struck out looking. Norton struck out looking. M Johnson grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, CHI WHITE SOX 4.

TEXAS 9TH: Bob Howry relieved Keith Foulke. L Stevens lined out to second. R Kelly grounded out to shortstop. Clayton singled to left center. T Goodwin grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, CHI WHITE SOX 4.