If I wanted to, I probably could have turned in a list of White Sox games from June of 2010 that could rival the one below. However, I was able to dig up several days outside of that 26-5 run to provide a better perspective of the entire season.
That said, if you have any arguments for games I missed, or games I should rank higher or lower, have at it. I'll gladly change my mind if your case is strong enough. Posterity is at stake.
No. 10: Sept. 6 - White Sox 5, Tigers 4 (10 innings)
Chris Sale earns his first major-league win serving as a one-man bullpen, throwing 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while a Manny Ramirez single turns into the game-winning run. This is one of the games that fuels my dream of a bullpen without a True Closer©.
No. 9: April 24 - White Sox 5, Mariners 4
The Sox needed the fourth week of April to pick up their first series victory, and it took an Alex Rios homer off David Aardsma to do it. It was the second straight walk-off blast, as Andruw Jones had done it the day before.
No. 8. June 26 - White Sox 3, Cubs 2
For the second time in three games, Paul Konerko gives theSox a lead with an eighth-inning homer. This one was a solo shot offAndrew Cashner, picking up his teammates, who went 1-for-10 with runnersin scoring position.
No. 7: Aug. 5 - White Sox 6, Tigers 4 (11 innings)
This thrilling extra-inning victory over Detroit became known as The Mark Kotsay Game. Kotsay hit a two-run homer in the ninth to give Bobby Jenks a three-run cushion. Jenks blew it, but Kotsay gave the Sox two more runs with a triple. That was a lead the Sox managed to hold.
No. 6: Aug. 19 - White Sox 11, Twins 0
Paul Konerko goes 5-for-5, and the top five hitters go 15-for-25, as they wipe the moustache off Carl Pavano's face. There should have been more games like this one, especially in the Twin Cities.
No. 5. June 18 - White Sox 2, Nationals 1 (11 innings)
With President Barack Obama (and your local White Sox blogger) in attendance and Washington supernova Stephen Strasburg in top form, Gavin Floyd steps up to the challenge by matching the flame-throwing phenom inning for inning. The Sox finally scored the decisive run on a two-out throwing error by Ryan Zimmerman.
No. 4. June 25 - White Sox 6, Cubs 0
All Sox and no control makes Carlos Zambrano something something for the second straight year. Juan Pierre gets under his skin with a leadoff double past Derrek Lee, which sparks a four-run first. Zambrano blames the entire inning on Lee, and goes after him in the dugout in yet another embarrassing meltdown. Zambrano leaves the ballpark early, and wouldn't resurface in the majors until July 31.
No. 3. July 8 - White Sox 1, Angels 0
Juan Pierre gets hit by a pitch to lead off the game, moves to third on an Alex Rios double, and scores on a Paul Konerko sac fly. And already, Ervin Santana had made too many mistakes. The Sox win with one run and three hits, because Danks dealt a two-hitter.
No. 2. July 15 - White Sox 8, Twins 7
For some reason, people describe the historic midseason run as "25-5." I can understand why -- it rolls off the tongue, 30 games is a nice, round number, and that stretch coincides with the end of the first half.
But really, it should be "26-5," because they came back from the All-Star break with a comeback victory over the Twins at Target Field. It was a showcase of resilience -- Danks lost a 4-0 lead by giving up six runs in the second, then held the Twins in check as the Sox rallied for their ninth consecutive win.
This is the kind of game the Sox should watch on loop, Clockwork Orange-style, before heading to Minnesota. The Sox pressured the Twins by going 4-for-4 with hit-and-runs, and the Twins gave the Sox the game with mistakes. Carlos Quentin tied the game at 6 by crossing the plate on an Alex Burnett balk, and Orlando Hudson played an inning-ending double-play ball off his midsection to allow the decisive run to score.
No. 1: April 4 - White Sox 6, Indians 0
Mark Buehrle blanks the Indians while winning his second Gold Glove, and Alex Rios hits a key homer and ends it with a diving catch after Matt Thornton came within a Travis Hafner foul tip of striking out the side on nine pitches.
Can't we play the season over again?
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Arizona Fall League:
- Peoria Javelinas 4, Peoria Saguaros 4 (11 innings)
- Jared Mitchell struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance.
- Johnnie Lowe allowed four runs on six hits over three innings, striking out two and walking two.
