NEW YORK —
Nick Swisher
pumped his right arm before rounding first base after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning.
That gesture didn’t get overlooked after the White Sox rallied for a 7-6 victory over the Yankees and Swisher, who wore out his welcome during a disappointing 2008 season with the Sox.
“That’s the way he is,” manager
Ozzie Guillen
said. “Good for him. Enjoy it. I wish he could do it for me, he was a very horse(bleep) player for me.”
A.J. Pierzynski
was more diplomatic, although Pierzynski was just as animated after hitting a two-run double in the seventh that gave the
the lead for good.
“Swish and I get along fine,” Pierzynski said. “Swish hit the ball well and did what he did, and it had nothing to do with Swisher. Just a win.”
Coming and going: Pitching coach
Don Cooper
returned after missing four games to attend to a family matter in Nashville. But center fielder
Alex Rios
left to return to Chicago to attend the birth of his child.
The Sox were hopeful Rios could rejoin the team Monday when they start a three-game home series against the Royals.
Extra innings:
Omar Vizquel
started at shortstop one week after his 43rd birthday. The last major league player to appear at short at that age was the Sox’s
Luke Appling
(43) in 1950. The last Sox player to play in a game at 43 or older was catcher
Carlton Fisk
at 45 in 1993. … Vizquel’s bloop single tied him with fellow Venezuelan
Luis Aparicio
for second place on the all-time hit list for shortstops with 2,673.
Derek Jeter
of the Yankees is the career leader with 2,779. … Yankees center fielder and former UIC standout
Curtis Granderson
left in the sixth because of a left groin strain he got while running from first to third. He was scheduled to undergo an MRI.
