Morning Box Score

By Marcus Gilmer in Miscellaneous on Aug 23, 2008 3:20PM

Nats Whallop Cubs
Things started out so well through the first five innings for the Cubs as they took a 4-0 lead into the sixth. Derek Lee and Mark DeRosa homered to give starter Jason Marquis a nice padding heading into the late frames. And then it all went to shit as the Nats piled on, culminating in a 13-5 victory over the Cubs. A grand slam by Willie Harris jump-started the avalanche in the sixth off of reliever Neal Cotts. The rest of the bullpen didn't fare too well, either. Bob Howry gave up a run in the seventh and Chad Gaudin was lit up for six more runs over the final two innings while the Cubs offense only managed to scrape together one more run. "We got beat up today," said Sweet Lou. "What are you going to do? They came out and swung the bats after the fifth inning. They hit the ball all over the park, and out of it." Mark DeRosa, who's been playing lights out for the Cubs this year, was a bit more detailed in his analysis: "Guys are playing for next year, playing [the] spoiler, playing because they're competitive. You're not going to have guys in this league roll over. When you go to the plate, you want to have an at-bat -- you're not giving away at-bats.I don't care what your record is or what team you're on. They're big league ballplayers for a reason. They've got some guys who can swing the bat, and when the wind is blowing out, they got a ball up in the air and it changes the entire game." The Cubs favorite Canadian, Ryan Dempster, starts today against Odalis Perez.

Rays Rout White Sox
Man, it was a bad day for the home teams in Chicago. In spite of two-run homers from Nick Swisher and Alexei Ramirez, the Pale Hose followed suit with their North Side brethren and were soundly beaten by the upstart Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 9-4. Swisher seemed zen about the loss, saying afterwards, "One loss won't get our spirits down. Some of these games happen. This is how pennant races are. You won't win them all." True, but The Emotional Roller Coaster That Is The 2008 Chicago White Sox™ dropped a half-game behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. Starter John Danks didn't have a bad outing, giving up three runs and striking out four over six and a third innings while the bullpen gave up six more runs, though Danks took the blame: "When these guys gave me the runs, it was on me to keep them there and get to the seventh or eighth inning so that we could get to the back end of the bullpen. I really didn't do that, so I can't help but take full [blame]." Ozzie, like Swisher, was making lemonade: "It's kind of funny -- we lose a game and people think we're done. That's kind of a weird feeling, this situation here in Chicago. We lose a game, and all of a sudden we're down the tank. I don't know if people are waiting for us to fail, or people don't believe in the White Sox. I think we can compete against everybody. I think we have a good ballclub." Point taken, sir. Javier Vazquez takes the mound for the Sox this afternoon against Scott Kazmir.