Bo Jackson was sliding all over the place Thursday-in the outfield and on the bases.
Playing just his second game in left field this spring, he finally got his first two tests in a 10-inning, 1-0 White Sox victory over the Yankees. The first was a lazy flyball from Dion James, the game’s second batter. The other was a wicked, curving, sinking liner off the bat of Paul O’Neill.
That ball was really Jackson’s first test in the outfield, and he passed, but just barely. He came in on the ball nicely, was unable to make the catch but threw a sliding, cross-body block to keep the ball from getting past him.
“I liked the way he went after it,” said manager Gene Lamont. “I think in the end he knew he was in trouble and he went down to block it. If it had gotten by him, it would have been a triple.”
In the eighth, Jackson hit a ball to the wall in right field and hustled into second base with a head-first slide for a double.
– Right-hander Kirk McCaskill had his second consecutive impressive outing. He gave up just one hit in four innings, walked none and struck out one.
– The Sox pulled the game out on an RBI single by Warren Newson in the 10th. Before that hit, though, the Sox stranded 12 runners, giving them 147 left on base in 16 games.
– Roberto Hernandez solidified his position as the dominant pitcher in the bullpen with two perfect innings to get the win.
– New Yankee Wade Boggs was 0 for 4, including a double-play grounder.