White Sox jump on struggling Pittsburgh early in victory
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle helped the Sox improve to 11-2 in interleague play while extending the Pittsburgh Pirates losing streak to a club record-tying 12 straight. The Associated Press
June 28, 2006
PITTSBURGH – Mark Buehrle limited Pittsburgh to two runs through seven innings and the Chicago White Sox ran the Pirates’ record-tying losing streak to 12 games, quickly building a three-run leading before holding on for a 4-2 victory Tuesday night.
The Pirates’ losing streak matches a 12-game slide in 1939 as the club’s longest in baseball’s modern era, which began in 1900. The only longer streak in franchise history was a 23-game slide in 1890.
This time, the team with the second-best record in the majors met the one with the second-worst, and with a predictable result. The White Sox led 3-0 before Pirates starter Ian Snell got out of the second inning, and never lost the lead in improving to 11-2 in interleague play.
Scott Podsednik, Tadahito Iguchi and Jim Thome singled to start the game, and A.J. Pierzynski followed with a one-out RBI single to make it 2-0. Pierzynski’s base-running mistake may have cost the White Sox a bigger inning as he was trapped off second following a single by Rob Mackowiak that loaded the bases, and Thome was subsequently trapped off third on the rundown that followed.
Pierzynski also grounded out to leave two runners stranded in the fifth, immediately after Podsednik also may have prevented another big inning for the White Sox when he was thrown out trying to steal third.
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Juan Uribe doubled to start the second and scored on Podsednik’s sacrifice fly to make it 3-0, one of seven White Sox hits in the first two innings and 10 in five innings against Snell (7-5). At least he kept the White Sox in the park as they failed to homer despite having a major league-best 111 this season.
Chicago’s Jermaine Dye, in a 2-for-18 slump coming into the game, went 3-for-5 with two doubles. Thome drove in two runs, adding a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
Buehrle won his third in a row after losing two straight, giving up seven hits and two runs over seven innings despite striking out one. Brandon McCarthy pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Bobby Jenks finished the ninth for his 23rd save in 24 opportunities. He has converted his last 14 save opportunities.
