White Sox fans, through the club’s 97 years, have been offered pretty unusual explanations for games their team lost.
The fans might have heard a new one Saturday if Harold Baines had not hit his three-run homer in the ninth and Tony Phillips his game-winning single in the 12th.
Foul balls–that’s right, foul balls–cost Wilson Alvarez his chance for a shutout and could have cost the Sox the game they won 6-5 over the Oakland A’s.
Although he was pitching a four-hit shutout, Alvarez was replaced after 5 2/3 innings because his pitch count had risen to 122.
And 36 of those 122 (or 29.6 percent) were pitches the A’s had fouled off. In his last three innings, Alvarez threw 62 pitches, and 26 (41.9 percent) were fouled.
In the fourth, Alvarez faced only four A’s, retiring three and walking one. Yet his pitch count reached 28 because Geronimo Berroa, Terry Steinbach and Jason Giambi each hit four fouls. Few fouls were hit hard. Most were squibbed or dribbled. Yet they ran up the pitch count.
“I don’t think I ever saw so many fouled off,” said Bevington.
“We made Alvarez work,” said Oakland manager Art Howe. “We didn’t give him anything easy.”
Numbers: Frank Thomas had three hits Saturday, lifting his average to .381 and giving him at least one hit in all 10 games this season. . . . Alvarez struck out five A’s, giving him 18 in 18 innings this season. He needs three more to reach 500 for his career.
On the sidelines: The Sox’s Danny Tartabull, who is in a 3-for-33 slide, did not start for the first time this season. . . . Oakland’s Mark McGwire, on the disabled list with an injured right foot, hit in the batting cages. But he is not expected back until mid-May.
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