Morning Box Score

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Sep 10, 2009 3:00PM

White Sox Edge A's In Extras
The White Sox brought a brutal 20-games-in-20-days stretch to a victorious close with an extra-innings, walk-off 4-3 win over Oakland. The Sox jumped out to an early lead, up on the A's 3-2 after three innings thanks to RBIs from Alexei Ramirez and Scott Podsednik. The lead held until the eight when Ozzie pulled Matt Thornton in favor of Tony Pena who promptly gave up a double and a single, allowing the A's to tie the game and force extra innings. Jermaine Dye had a chance to end the game in the 11th when he came to bat with two outs and the bases loaded but was unable to deliver. Finally, in the 13th, AJ Pierzynski's RBI double gave the Sox the walk-off win. Freddy Garcia had a solid start - five K's, two runs, six innings - and Octavio Dotel pitched three scoreless innings to get the win. Next up for the Sox is a well-deserved day off today followed by a six-game, seven-day west coast road trip to Anaheim and Seattle.

Cubs Sweep Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates continued to be the elixir to cure any rough patch for the Cubs as the North Siders completed the series sweep with an 8-5 victory. Carlos Zambrano had a good start, throwing six innings, striking out eight, and surrendering only two runs. The Cubs got a run in each of the first three innings and Mighty Micah Hoffpauir knocked in two RBIs including a solo homer in the fifth; Koyie Hill also had two RBIs in the game. Inexplicably, Piniella let expensive set-up man Kevin Gregg pitch and he gave up a three-run homer to formidable slugger (and former Cub) Ronny Cedeno, though Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless ninth for the save. The Cubs, like the Sox, have an off-day today before starting a three game series against the Reds tomorrow.