From Model to Debacle

For the first seven innings today the game against the White Sox was a model for the way baseball is supposed to be played. Pitchers threw strikes and defenders made plays.

Zack Greinke battled Jose Contreras in a marvelous pitchers duel for the first seven innings. Greinke had complete control over all three of his main pitches and while he threw his slower-than-molasses curve ball on a number of occasions, he also threw a faster variation of his curve and it kept the White Sox off balance.

Tony Graffanino broke the scoreless tie with a home run in the top of the seventh inning and it looked like that's all we would need to win this one.

Greinke, who had never pitched into the eight inning before, opened the eighth inning with a walk and he seemed to be out of steam. He then hit Jermaine Dye in the middle of the back and his day was done. At that point, the game became a debacle.

Andy Sisco took over for Greinke and walked two guys to tie the game at 1-1. Pena removed him and gave the ball to Burgos who walked in the go ahead run. And without one hit in the eighth, the White Sox scored all the runs they needed to win the game 2-1.