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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) – Put Paul Konerko at the plate with the game on
the line, and good things seem to happen.
|  | | Paul Konerko rips an RBI single in the 14th to stop Seattle. |
Konerko had his second game-winning hit of the week Sunday, an
RBI single in the bottom of the 14th inning that gave the Chicago
White Sox a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
His homer in the 11th inning Wednesday night gave Chicago a 2-1
victory over Oakland.
"Paul is becoming one of the top money players in the league,"
White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. "Even last year, in clutch
situations, when he was a pinch-hitter he'd give you a good at-bat.
"He really thrives on that situation," Manuel added. "When
he's up there, you know you're going to get a really good at-bat."
The White Sox can use all the good at-bats they can get these
days. They're struggling at 8-15, and the victory kept them from
being swept for the fourth time this year. Chicago was swept only
two times last year as it ran away with the AL Central.
The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for the Mariners.
Still, Seattle (20-5) set a record for most wins in April and leads
the AL West by nine games over Texas.
"Obviously, we don't think we're going to win 25 every month or
we'd set a lot of records," said Bret Boone, whose leadoff homer
in the eighth tied the game.
"If we win two of three every series, we're good," Boone said.
"That's how we're going to approach it, and I wouldn't expect us
to change."
The game was a pitchers duel, with the Mariners managing only
four hits and the White Sox seven. When the teams did manage to put
someone on base, they couldn't do much with it. Seattle stranded
five and Chicago left seven on.
But with two outs in the 14th inning, the White Sox got to Ryan
Franklin (2-1). Magglio Ordonez singled to left, and then stole
second with Konerko at the plate.
Konerko worked Franklin to a full count before lining one up the
gap to score Ordonez.
"I don't feel relieved to be honest. That game was really
tough," Konerko said. "The pitching was phenomenal on both sides,
but we're all like, 'I can't believe it's that hard to win a
game."'
Franklin gave up one run and two hits in 2 2-3 innings, striking
out three. Gary Glover (2-1) allowed only one hit and one wild
pitch in three innings. He also struck out four.
Royce Clayton had a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning for the
White Sox.
"Everybody did their job today," said Jose Valentin, who had a
spectacular, diving catch in the 12th to rob the Mariners of a hit.
"We've got to do whatever it takes to win games, and today we did
it."
Both teams had chances to win the game after Boone's homer tied
it up. The Mariners had runners in scoring position in the ninth,
11th and 13th.
Their best opportunity came in the 11th, when Kelly Wunsch hit
Dan Wilson and Charles Gipson was brought in to run for him. Gipson
took second on Carlos Guillen's sacrifice bunt, and then advanced
to third on Ichiro Suzuki's grounder.
But Mark McLemore grounded out to end the inning.
Konerko almost ended the game in the ninth. With Ray Durham and
Valentin on base and two outs, Konerko hit a shot that looked like
it was going to clear the left-field wall.
But the ball dropped at the warning track, and McLemore caught
it.
"I've never been so sure of a ball going out," Konerko said.
Seattle and Chicago both got outstanding efforts from their
starters. Mark Buehrle allowed only one run and two hits in eight
innings, a career high. He also struck out a career-best eight, and
retired 14 straight batters at one point.
Freddy Garcia allowed only one run and four hits in 8 1-3
innings.
Game notes
Konerko has now reached base in 23 games this year and has
a 12-game hitting streak. ... After winning their final two
regular-season series last year, the Mariners have won their first
eight this year for a club-record 10 in a row. ... A White Sox fan
had some nasty-looking cuts on his face after falling headfirst
into Chicago's bullpen during batting practice. The fan, whose name
wasn't available, lost his balance as he grabbed for the ball and
tumbled over the railing, falling about six feet. Several White Sox
players ran to see if he was OK, and the man refused further
treatment after team medical personnel checked him out.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
Chi. White Sox Clubhouse
RECAPS
Kansas City 11
Boston 8
Cleveland 9
Texas 2
Detroit 6
Tampa Bay 1
NY Yankees 3
Oakland 1
Toronto 2
Anaheim 0
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 1
Minnesota 4
Baltimore 0
Milwaukee 10
Montreal 0
St. Louis 12
NY Mets 1
Florida 11
Houston 5
Colorado 14
Cincinnati 7
Chicago Cubs 11
San Francisco 2
Los Angeles 4
Philadelphia 1
San Diego 6
Pittsburgh 1
Arizona 7
Atlanta 5
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