Morning Box Score: Meltdown Continues for White Sox

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Sep 28, 2008 4:00PM

The White Sox pitching staff has apparently run out of gas. Another night and another game thrown away by the club's lack of pitching. While the Sox hitters have finally begun to produce runs again, the club's woes on the mound meant that for the second straight night, the White Sox were unable to capitalize on an opportunity to gain ground on the Minnesota Twins in the race for the AL Central. Their pitching staff again allowed double digit run totals on the way to a 12-6 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Since shutting out the Kansas City Royals a week ago, the starting pitching has been entirely ineffective. The bullpen has been just as bad. Is it any wonder they're carrying a five-game losing streak into the last day of the season? On Saturday, Javier Vasquez allowed seven runs in 4.1 innings -- his third consecutive horrific outing during the home stretch. By the time he departed the game in the fifth, the Sox were already down 7-1. While a four-run 8th closed the gap to 8-6, the bullpen allowed the Tribe four more runs in the top of the ninth inning to put the game away.

Can Mark Buehrle -- the only starter with a halfway decent start this week -- buck the recent trend on Sunday? With guys like Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye finally producing runs again, perhaps he can. A Sox victory would ensure that the season continues at least another day.

Sitting a half game behind the Twins heading into the season's last official day, a win by both teams would leave the Sox one game back in the win column while tied in losses. A Sox win and a Twins loss would flip the tables, leaving a 1/2 game separating the two teams but with the Sox on top. Either way, the Sox would have to make up a rain-out against Detroit on Monday to determine the final division standings.

On the other hand, if the Sox lose on Sunday and the Twins beat the Royals, then the Sox season "is ovah!"

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast