Tuesday, September 30, 2008
His grand slam homer helped Chicago to an 8-2 win over Detroit.
CHICAGO (AP) — Alexei Ramirez spread his arms wide, raced around the bases like a little kid and jumped into Paul Konerko’s embrace at home plate.
No wonder they were so happy. The White Sox would play one more day.
Ramirez set a rookie record with his fourth grand slam of the season and Chicago beat Detroit 8-2 in a rainout makeup Monday, forcing a one-game tie-breaker against Minnesota for the AL Central title.
The Twins will visit the White Sox tonight, with John Danks starting for Chicago on three days’ rest against Nick Blackburn. The division champ begins the playoffs at Tampa Bay Thursday.
“Tomorrow, 162 games mean nothing. It’s only about one game and that’s great,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “A good feeling.”
When Guillen told Ramirez to relax before batting with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old infielder made a promise.
“I told Ozzie to have confidence in me. I’m going to go out and get these runners home somehow,” he said.
Did he ever. Then again, his days on the Cuban national team taught him about big games.
“My team in Cuba was always in the playoffs and I played in the Olympics and international games. I’ve been in tougher situations, I feel,” he said through a translator.
Washed out earlier this month, Chicago and Detroit waited through a rain delay of more than three hours before starting.
Gavin Floyd (17-8) won on three days’ rest.
The loss left the Tigers in last place, capping a season they began with hopes of reaching the World Series.
“It’s been a tough year,” manager Jim Leyland said. “Today pretty much sums up what’s gone on all year, really. It hasn’t been a very good year and it wasn’t a very happy ending.”
Detroit, with nothing really to play for, took a 2-1 lead into the sixth. But former White Sox ace Freddy Garcia, who’d allowed only two hits to that point, had to leave with tightness in his right shoulder with a runner on second and no outs.
When Garcia left, things got wild.
Leyland summoned Armando Galarraga (13-7) — the team’s best starter this season — and he threw two wild pitches that allowed the tying run to score.
After Jermaine Dye walked, Bobby Seay relieved and threw Detroit’s third wild pitch of the inning.
Jim Thome struck out, but after an intentional walk to Konerko, Seay also walked Ken Griffey Jr. to load the bases.
Ramirez sent the first pitch from Gary Glover, another former White Sox pitcher, into the left-center field bleachers, setting off a happy trip around the bases for the rookie whose nickname is “The Cuban Missile.”
Floyd gave up five hits and one earned in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two while throwing 118 pitches.
“He admitted he was nervous, which was good because if you’re not nervous in that situation, there’s something wrong with you,” White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. “He didn’t have his best stuff but he battled and made pitches when he had to to get through it.”
———
DETROITCHICAGO
abrhbiabrhbi
Grndrs cf4000OCabra ss4100
Shffield dh3000Wise lf2100
Ordnez rf4010Dye rf3111
MiCabr 1b4110Thome dh4000
Thmes lf4000Knerko 1b3100
Raburn 2b4120Swisher 1b0000
Inge 3b3011Grf Jr. cf2110
Ryan c3010BAndsn cf1000
Larish ph1000AlRmrz 2b4224
Sntiago ss3000Przyns c4121
Joyce ph1000Uribe 3b4000
Totals34261Totals31866
Detroit000011000—2
Chicago10000502x—8
E—Raburn (10), OCabrera (16), GFloyd (2). DP—Chicago 1. LOB—Detroit 8, Chicago 5. 2B—MiCabrera (36), Inge (16), Pierzynski 2 (31). HR—AlRamirez (21). SB—Granderson 2 (12), Sheffield (9), Raburn (3), Wise (9), AlRamirez (13).
IPHRERBBSO
Detroit
FGarcia522233
Glrga L,13-7001110
Seay1-302221
Glover1 2-321102
ALopez122102
Chicago
GFloyd W,17-8652128
Thornton1-300000
Dotel2-300000
Linebrink110003
DCarrasco100002
FGarcia pitched to 1 batter in the 6th, Galarraga pitched to 1 batter in the 6th. HBP—by GFloyd (Sheffield). WP—Galarraga 2, Seay, ALopez. Umpires—Home, Mike DiMuro; First, Tim McClelland; Second, Larry Vanover; Third, Mike Everitt. T—3:14. A—35,923.