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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) – David Wells doesn't want to hear that he pitched
well or that he didn't get enough run support.
|  | | Ray Durham jumps out the way after forcing out Deivi Cruz at second, but it's Cruz and the Tigers who'd come out on top. |
The Chicago White Sox lost, and that's all that mattered to
Wells.
"When it comes down to it, it's the pitching," he said after a
5-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. "We can keep the other
teams to two or three runs. That should be enough."
Wells gave up five runs and 11 hits in eight innings.
Deivi Cruz and Tony Clark drove in two runs apiece for the
Tigers, who got their first three-game sweep at Comiskey Park since
August 1991. And Jeff Weaver (1-1) continued his mastery of the
team that drafted him in 1997 but never signed him.
Weaver gave up just five hits in seven scoreless innings,
striking out three and walking two. In his last three starts
against Chicago, the right-hander has a 1.23 ERA and has allowed
only 12 hits.
"I don't know about figuring them out. I just know you can't
ever let up against this team," Weaver said. "Every pitch means
something. Every person can hit it."
After being held scoreless for eight innings, the White Sox
finally did start to hit in the ninth. Tigers reliever Matt
Anderson gave up three runs, though only one was earned.
Chris Singleton and Royce Clayton hit RBI doubles and another
run scored on an error.
Todd Jones, pitching for the fourth straight day, got two outs
for his third save.
"I called down there and told them, `I can get an out or
two,"' said Jones, who didn't even bring his glove to the bullpen.
"I'm just thankful they gave me the ball. To sweep these guys
is great. I'm just happy I could do my part."
Part of the reason the White Sox acquired Wells (1-1) in the
offseason was for his defiant persona, a refuse-to-lose attitude
that can lift an entire team. And the White Sox could have used a
big lift Sunday, going winless since Wells' opening day victory in
Cleveland.
The defending AL Central champs are now three games below .500
for the first time since the end of the 1999 season, with Cleveland
coming to town Monday.
But Wells got into trouble with two-run innings in the fourth
and sixth, and the White Sox didn't give him any run support.
Chicago stranded 10, including runners in scoring position in the
fifth and sixth innings.
"A couple of their guys aren't swinging the bats that well
right now, and we took advantage of it," Tigers manager Phil
Garner said.
Damion Easley got the Tigers' offense going with a leadoff
double in the fourth, and Clark drove him home with a single. Cruz
made it 2-0 with an RBI double that carried all the way to the
fence in right field.
Cruz tried to stretch the hit into a triple, but was thrown out
on Jose Valentin's sweeping tag.
Easley had another double to start the sixth, and Bobby
Higginson drove him home with a double. Higginson tried to stretch
his hit into a triple, too, only to get thrown out just like Cruz.
Clark then singled, and Cruz lined an RBI double down the third
base line just past a diving Valentin.
The Tigers added another run in the eighth on Clark's sacrifice
fly.
"You get a couple of key hits, it has a tendency to build
confidence on the team," said Easley, who finished 3-for-4 with
three runs scored. "Anytime you play a ball club like the White
Sox, you have to play good baseball, play sound baseball.
"For us to come out on top all three games, it definitely
boosts our confidence. At the same time, we have to keep it
going."
The White Sox had their chances to score. In the sixth, they had
runners at first and third with two outs, but Sandy Alomar grounded
out.
In the fifth, Frank Thomas came up with runners at first and
second and two outs. Thomas brought the crowd to its feet after
working the count to 3-2, but he swung at a low pitch and hit a
chopper to third that Shane Halter easily handled.
"It's five games. We play 162," Thomas said. "Hopefully,
we've played our five worst games and we can catch on fire. Because
this team can definitely get on fire."
Game notes
Thomas started at first base for the first time this
season. ... With two hits Sunday, Alomar is now 5-for-6 lifetime
against Weaver. ... Clark has at least one hit in each of the first
five games.
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RECAPS
Boston 3
Tampa Bay 0
Cleveland 4
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NY Yankees 16
Toronto 5
Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 3
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Minnesota 4
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