Morning Box Score: Cubs Edge Astros, Bad Fielding Mars White Sox
By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 12, 2011 2:00PM
A's 2, White Sox 1 (10 Innings)
You can't blame Matt Thornton completely for last night's blown save, although he did give up a leadoff double to Adam LaRoche. Juan Pierre misplayed a fly ball by Daric Barton that scored pinch runner Cliff Pennington, nearly identical to the fly ball he erred on Friday night against the Rays. Manager Ozzie Guillen tried to back up Pierre after the game, but the left fielder put the blame square on his shoulders. Thornton, meanwhile, is 0-for-3 in save situations this year, and with each blown save some White Sox fans must be thinking Bobby Jenks in black and white is looking more attractive by the moment. A's catcher Kurt Suzuki homered in the 10th inning as the White Sox blew an eight inning, 2-hit performance by Mark Buehrle.
Over in Houston, Carlos Marmol showed how a true closer gets the job done. Marmol pitched 1-1/3 innings of scoreless relief to get Ryan Dempster his first win of the season in Minute Maid Park. Dempster had just enough to earn the win, striking out 9 over six innings. The top of the Cubs order, with Starlin Castro batting leadoff, scored all five of their runs. Castro was 3-for-5 and stole the Cubs' first base of the season. Carlos Pena drove in two of the Cubs runs.