Morning Box Score: Reds Overpower Wood, Royals Sneak Past White Sox
By Tim Bearden in News on Aug 18, 2012 2:30PM
Travis Wood took a beating Friday in Cincinnati as the Reds thumped the Cubs 7-3. Wood (4-9) pitched five innings and gave up seven runs--including three home runs--nine hits and three errors with only three strike outs. Wood was traded from Cincinnati for Sean Marshall in the off season and the Cubs must now be regretting that decision as he's been unreliable. Luis Valbuena homered for the Cubs to start their scoring effort in the second. Two more runs came in the fourth inning as Castro scored on a wild pitch from Bronson Arroyo in the fourth. Wood had the next at bat and drove in rookie Brett Jackson on an RBI single, but was thrown out trying to advance to second. The Cubs had a brief 3-1 lead before Wood started batting practice for the Reds, giving up five runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The White Sox lost the 2-1 lead as quickly as they got it Friday, and fell to Kansas City. Chris Sale, who was 11-1 in his last 14 starts, took the loss after giving up the tying run in the sixth along with the go-ahead and winning runs in the seventh. Paul Konerko hit the first tying run in the fourth on a solo shot to left field. In the fifth, Gordon Beckham hit an RBI single to drive in Alexei Ramirez and give the Sox the 2-1 lead. Sale couldn't keep the ship steady though, and gave up a solo shot to Billy Butler to tie the game in the sixth. Salvador Perez then hit a two RBI double in the seventh to seal the victory for the Royals.