With Jason Bere injured and the White Sox looking to fill a hole in the starting rotation, James Baldwin couldn’t have picked a better time to get hot.
The rookie right-hander improved his record to 5-1 and shaved his earned-run average to 3.40 with a 4-2 victory in Sunday’s opener. Baldwin allowed only three hits and a run in eight strong innings.
“Confidence plays a big role in this game,” said Baldwin, a 24-year-old North Carolinian. “I think I can go out there now and throw confidently. Everything is working.”
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Etc: Detroit lefty Justin Thompson suffered a tough loss in his second major-league start, but he can take heart in knowing that he kept Frank Thomas off base for the first time this year.
“Of course I was frustrated, but I had to keep on going,” said Thomas, who was 0 for 4 in the opener. He quickly returned to form, though, by drilling a three-run home run off Greg Keagle in his first trip in the nightcap.
Robin Ventura’s streak of consecutive hits ended at five when first baseman Eddie Williams made a brilliant stab of a line drive. Until that at-bat Ventura had reached base in eight straight plate appearances. . . . The twin-bill drew 26,125. After 24 home dates the Sox are down about 106,000 spectators from a year ago, when ill feelings over the strike and a poor team were blamed for poor attendance. . . . The Sox sent infielder Jose Munoz to Class AAA Nashville.
Feeling fresh: Just 15 hours after his Saturday night start was washed out in the third inning, Alex Fernandez said he felt ready to pitch again Sunday morning.
“I feel real fresh,” Fernandez said. “I may be able to come out of the bullpen.”
Manager Terry Bevington said he wouldn’t consider using Fernandez in relief because it would mess up his rotation. Fernandez is set to start again Friday night in Baltimore.