Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on Aug 18, 2009 3:00PM

Sox Fend Off Royals
Kansas City did not go quietly on Monday night, but the White Sox persevered, winning 8-7. With his team leading 7-4 and two away in the eighth, Scott Linebrink walked the next two batters and then coughed up a game-tying home run to Mike Jacobs. The Sox answered with small ball in the bottom half, using a leadoff walk, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single from Scott Podsednik to claim a permanent lead. It was Podsednik’s second RBI of the night, a mark matched by Jayson Nix and A.J. Pierzynski with their pair of two-run dingers earlier in the contest. Mark Buehrle had started the night on the mound for Chicago, but received a no-decision after allowing four runs in six innings. The hard fought victory earned Chicago half a game in the standings, as Detroit was idle. The Sox and the Royals will do it again at 7:11 this evening.

Padres Foil Cubs
The Cubs’ hard work was quickly undone on Monday night, when Kyle Blanks’ walk-off homer handed Chicago a heartbreaking 4-1 loss. The Cubs had entered the ninth inning with a 1-0 lead--thanks to Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez’s combined offensive efforts in the eighth and six stellar innings from Ted Lily on the mound—but Kevin Gregg could not close it out. A walk and a double tied the game, and a fastball down the pipe quickly ended it. With the loss, Chicago finds themselves six back of St. Louis, who are riding a five-game winning streak. Game two will be tonight at 9:05.