Perez delivers thrilling comeback win

[3rdCoast]

LINK
CHICAGO -- Frank Thomas' return to the White Sox lineup had all the makings of a classic comeback story until the team decided to throw a little twist in the ending.

That's when the White Sox nearly faltered, losing a one-run lead before coming back in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a 5-4 win over the Angels in front of a sellout crowd at U.S. Cellular Field.

With the way the White Sox have been winning games all year, Thomas felt like it was the appropriate ending.

"I felt a little funny, like when they tied it up in the ninth," Thomas said. "But we came back and won the ballgame which is all that matters. That's how this club has been winning all year and today was no different."

After a strong start by Mark Buehrle had the Sox staring at a win, a little hiccup in the top of the ninth looked like it may put a damper on Thomas' welcome back parade.

A one-run lead turned into a one-run deficit quickly as Buehrle's outing may have lasted a few batters too long. Buehrle started the ninth, but two runners got on base off an error and a single. Damaso Marte came in to pitch with one out, and had a chance to end it on a double-play ball. But second baseman Tadahito Iguchi fumbled the ball on the throw, allowing the Angels to load the bases. A single by Robb Quinlan would drive in the tying run before Marte walked the next batter to put the Angels up, 4-3.

"I was kind of surprised I went back out there in the ninth," Buehrle said. "Facing these guys nine innings last game, eight innings today, most of those guys in the lineup have seen me nine, 10 times. But I went out there and tried to get out of the inning. I made a couple of good pitches and they put good swings on them."

Cliff Politte (1-0) came in for the final out of the inning and managed to keep the Angels from scoring any more runs before the White Sox mounted their own comeback in the ninth.

Two straight walks led off the home team's last at-bat to put the go-ahead run on base. Two outs later, with the runners both in scoring position, Timo Perez hit a two-run single to left field to give the White Sox the dramatic come-from-behind victory.

"I was looking for a fastball," Perez said. "It was a good swing and I put it in left field. It was good for the team."

The comeback may have been impressive, but manager Ozzie Guillen was displeased with the way it came about.

"I was really disappointed about today's game," Guillen said. "Mark Buehrle deserved better and he pitched the way he's always pitched, and we had a great opportunity to score a lot of runs. I think we're not getting beat, we're beating ourselves. If we want to win this thing, we have to execute better."

Buehrle worked 8 1/3 innings, giving up three earned runs off nine hits, while striking out two. It was the second straight start that the lefty ace failed to pick up a win against the Angels. Buehrle pitched nine innings and gave up one run against Los Angeles in a no-decision on May 24.

Buehrle may not have picked up the win in either outing, but the Sox pulled off late wins in both of those starts.

"I've always said that if I have 35 starts in a year and we win 25-30 of them and I only win two, I don't care," Buehrle said. "It's the ultimate goal for the team to win and get to the playoffs. If I go out there and do the best I can to give the team a chance and I don't get it, so be it."

The southpaw has now gone 39 straight games of pitching at least six innings, matching the longest streak by a pitcher in the Majors in recent years. Curt Schilling went 39 in a row with Arizona from 2001-03.

Buerhle's strong performance netted him almost as great a fan reaction as Thomas. The outing for the Big Hurt will not go down in the memory books as one of his best, going 0-for-2 with one run scored, but Thomas felt it was not terrible for his first outing.

"I felt happy for the first day," Thomas said. "I felt great at the plate. I feel I'm just a few at-bats away from really making some good things happen."

Although the White Sox came close to not getting Thomas a win in his first game back, the ninth-inning collapse wouldn't have even been a worry if the Sox had taken advantage of other earlier scoring opportunities.

The White Sox had a good chance to add to their lead in the fourth, but squandered it. Two straight singles led off the inning before Joe Crede bunted into a double play, leaving only Chris Widger on second. Scott Podsednik then doubled to center, but a strong throw by Angels center fielder Steve Finley beat Widger to the plate and ended scoring chance.

Picking up the win in the ninth inning was big as the club stopped a three-game losing streak, tying its longest of the year. Even more importantly though is that the team managed to win despite not playing very good baseball.

"I mean we're not playing the best baseball right now," Buerhle said. "The offense is struggling. We go out there and score three quick runs, usually that's enough, but today they battled back and went back out in the ninth. They got some base hits and went form there.

"This was a big win, we needed this one big time."

Kelly Thesier is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[3rdCoast]

I Saw The End Of This Game And Was Surprised At A Number Of Things, But I Am Glad The Sox Came Back And Took It. I Think They Hae A Strong Team(obviosuly, Just Look At Their Record)but I Also Think That They Can Continue Their Winning Ways And Make A Run This Year.