Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on Aug 8, 2009 3:35PM

Indians Beat Sox
The White Sox lost the series opener to the Cleveland Indians on Friday, 6-2. A team-record six double plays were not enough to stifle the Tribe's offense, as they scored five earned runs off the Sox's Mark Buehrle. Kelly Shoppach did the bulk of the damage, taking Buehrle deep in the second and fourth innings on his way to a four-RBI evening. The Sox broke through in the home half of the third, with Gordon Beckham and Jim Thome each plating a run, but that would prove to be the exception in an otherwise scoreless night for Chicago. The White Sox, who now stand three games behind Detroit, will look to bounce back tonight at 6:10.

Rockies Top Cubs
The Cubs dropped game one to the Colorado Rockies, 6-2 on Friday. After a late scratch of Carlos Zambrano due to continued back spasms, manager Lou Piniella handed the ball to lefty Sean Marshall. Marshall—who had not made a start since May 31—quickly handed it back, lasting just two innings and surrendering three Rockies' runs. Jeff Samardzija carried the bulk of the load by pitching the next four frames, but Chris Iannetta's fourth-inning homer put the game out of reach for Chicago. Alfonso Soriano picked up the lone RBI for the Cubs with a base knock in the sixth, and both Kosuke Fukudome and Milton Bradley reached base safely three times. The loss dropped the Cubs out of a tie for first, but they will look to make it up tonight at 7:10.