Yearly Archives: 2010

Cub bats wake up, rout Moyer,Phillies 12-6

Posted on by
Aramis Ramirez hit a pair of two-run doubles, and Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto each had two-run homers to lead the Cubs to a 12-6 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.Alfonso Soriano also hit a solo homer for the Cubs, who scored nine of their 12 runs with two outs. Starlin Castro also stole home on a botched suicide squeeze in the second inning.Cubs starter Ryan Dempster allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and nine strikeouts. Dempster (8-7) rebounded after allowing a long two-run homer to Ryan Howard — his first of two in the game — in the first inning.The Cubs tagged Phillies starter Jamie Moyer (9-9) for six runs on five hits in three innings. He allowed two home runs and hit two batters. In his last two starts, he has allowed 13 runs in 8 1/3 innings.After a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds before the All-Star break, the Phillies failed to match a season-high five-game winning streak and fell 5 1/2 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East.The Phillies’ bats didn’t come awake again until the ninth inning. Shane Victorino and Raul Ibanez had a pair of two-out RBI singles in the ninth off Cubs reliever Bob Howry. Howard then chased Howry with another long two-run homer to right field.Andrew Cashner got Jayson Werth to pop out to end the game.Moyer, who started his career with the Cubs in 1986, couldn’t hold an early 2-0 lead. The 47-year-old left-hander hit Tyler Colvin on the right shoulder in the first inning. With two outs, Moyer plunked Marlon Byrd on the left knee, and Ramirez followed with a double down the left-field line. Ibanez tried to play the ball off the brick wall, but it took a bad bounce and allowed Byrd to score from first to tie it at 2.In the second inning, Castro lined a triple over the head of Victorino in center. It looked as if Victorino might have a play, but he misjudged the ball and took a step in. With Dempster up, the Cubs attempted a suicide squeeze, but the pitcher wasn’t able to get the bunt down. But the ball got by catcher Carlos Ruiz, allowing Castro to steal home.He became the first Cubs player to record a straight steal of home since April 13, 1996, when Brian McRae did it in the first inning at San Francisco. Castro finished the game 3 for 4, falling a home run short of the cycle.After getting the first two outs in the seventh, Phillies reliever Jose Contreras allowed a leadoff single to Lee. He hit Byrd with a pitch and Ramirez followed with another two-run double. Soriano drove in Lee on a bloop single, and Soto followed with his 10th homer of the season to chase Contreras.With the bases loaded in the eighth, Soriano hit a two-out RBI single off reliever Danys Baez.

  

NOTES—Carlos Zambrano completed has anger management sessions and reported to Arizona on Thursday to resume throwing. He has been on the restricted list since June 29, and has not been with the club since his June 25 dugout tirade that led to a verbal confrontation with Lee. The Cubs do not have a timetable on Zambrano’s return to the majors…..Phillies INF Placido Polanco began a rehab assignment with Single-A Clearwater on Thursday night and went 1 for 4 with a run scored….Ramirez had his first two-double game since July 24, 2009, against the Reds. 

Sox hold on, edge Twins 8-7

Posted on by
The Minnesota Twins lost for the seventh time in nine games 8-7 to the still red hot White Sox, and suffered through another terrible outing by their starting pitcher. Kevin Slowey was tagged for five runs on nine hits in three innings and Alex Burnett (1-2) gave up three more runs in relief.Juan Pierre had three hits and an RBI and Alex Rios added two hits and two RBI for the White Sox.Joe Mauer had three hits and three RBI and J.J. Hardy chipped in two hits and an RBI for Minnesota.These two teams were headed in opposite directions going into the break, with the White Sox going 25-5 to take a half-game lead in the division. It’s been a startling turnaround for a team that was 24-33 and 9½ games down on June 8.The White Sox scratched their way to a 4-0 lead early thanks to three sacrifice flies and Beckham’s solo homer that reached the second deck in left field.The Twins responded in the bottom of the second inning, scoring six runs on six hits, including Joe Mauer’s bases loaded double down the third baseline that gave them a 6-4 lead.But Danks settled down after that facing just one more batter than the minimum while the White Sox climbed back into the game. Beckham had an RBI-single in the fourth and A.J. Pierzynski’s two-run double highlighted a three-run fifth inning to put them back in the lead.In a role reversal, it was the Twins this time who committed the blunders to let the game slip away to the smarter, sharper White Sox.Denard Span popped up a bunt attempt to Danks in the fourth and Burnett balked home the tying run in the fifth when he never let his pitch to Mark Kotsay go.The Twins have just six wins in their last 20 games and will play this entire series without All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau, who was placed on the disabled list with a concussion.The biggest concern, though, is the starting pitchers, including Slowey, Nick Blackburn and Scott Baker, who have all been wildly inconsistent this year.
 
NOTES—Twins LHP Brian Duensing , one of their most valued relievers, was not available because of illness…..Rios’s single in the sixth inning was career hit No. 1,000…..Twins RF Jason Kubel went 1 for 5 with four strikeouts…..Gardenhire said Twins INF Matt Tolbert’s finger is still hurting and he will remain on the disabled list for the time being.   

 

 

NL wins Mid Summer Classic at last thanks in part to Cubs Byrd’s key walk and 9th inning defensive play

Posted on by

ANAHEIM—The National League,which used to dominate the All Star Game,broke through to beat the American League 3-1 for their first win since 1996,and earning Home Field Advantage in the World Series for the first time since this crazy rule was put into place in 2003. The NL won it thanks to a three run rally with two outs in the top of the seventh which featured a battle between the Cubs Marlon Byrd and the White Sox Matt Thornton, and a clutch bases clearing double by the Braves Brian McCann. Byrd also made a big defensive play to help kill a possible AL ninth inning rally try. After David Price retired the National League in order in the top of the first, Ubaldo Jimenez got in and out of trouble in the home half of that inning. With one out, Derek Jeter walked and took third on a single to right center by Miguel Cabrera,but Josh Hamilton hit a come back smash that Jimenez speared and turned into an inning ending double play.Brewers LF Ryan Braun robbed Hamilton of at least a single with a great diving catch in the bottom of the fourth.After a quiet first four innings,the NL got a lead off single by David Wright off Justin Verlander who then stole second.Braun fanned, but the Dodgers Andre Ethier singled to RF as Wright stopped at third.Corey Hart also struck out,unable to check his swing.Brian McCann batted for Yadier Molina and fanned on a 3-2 pitch. The first Chicago appearance in this game occurred when Byrd went into CF in the bottom of the 5th.The first real break of this game happened in the AL 5th when Evan Longoria walked against Hong-Chih Kuo. Joe Mauer then hit a roller back to Kuo who fielded it.but then he air mailed his throw way over Adrian Gonzalez’s head down the RF line. Longoria advanced to 3B and Mauer took second on the error. Robinson Cano then lifted a deep fly to Matt Holliday in LF to score Longoria with the game’s first run.Carl Crawford bounced on to Ramirez at SS and Mauer,trying to advance was gunned down easily at third for the second out. Heath Bell relieved Kuo and home town favorite Torii Hunter,in his first at bat of the night flew out to RF just after Crawford stole second on Bell’s second pitch,so the AL settled for a 1-0 lead.In the AL 6th,Derek Jeter blooped a single to CF,and Paul Konerko batted for Cabrera and fanned against Roy Halladay and McCann picked pinch runner Elvin Andrus off second to complete an unusual double play.Hamilton smacked a two out single to RF and Home Run Derby champ David Ortiz batted for Vlad Guerrero. Matt Capps relieved Halladay and got “Big Papi” on a called third strike. The National League broke though in the top of the seventh against the Yankees Phil Hughes.With one out,Scott Rolen and Matt Holliday each singled. Rolen took third and the Sox Thornton relieved Hughes as Chris Young batted for Ethier and fouled out to Konerko. Now Byrd,after falling behind 0-2,worked the count full and drew a key walk from Thornton in a rare All-Chicago All Star battle to load the bases for McCann who ripped a line double into the left field corner to clear the bases and give the National League the lead for good 3-1.Andrew Bailey of Oakland relieved Thronton and after walking Rafael Furcal,he fanned Brandon Phillips to end the rally.Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals relieved Capps and got out of a two on,one out jam by getting Vernon Wells to hit into a force at second and then fanned Hunter to leave runners at the corners.In the bottom of the eighth, with one out against SF’s Brian Wilson, Konerko bounced to third. In the top of the ninth,Jose Valverde fanned the first two he faced,then got Bryd on a 3-2 pitch. Jonathan Broxton on the nearby Dodgers started the 9th.Ortiz lined a single to RF, Adrian Beltre fanned, John Buck hit a blooper just in front on Byrd in right,but he fielded it on the hop and gunned a throw to Furcal to force Ortiz who had not been lifted for a pinch runner.Ian Kinsler then flew to CF to end the NL’s long dry spell in the Mid-Summer Classic.

NOTES—The sellout crowd was 45,408……Former Angel(and Twin)Rod Carew threw out the first ball…..When Derrick Jeter came to bat in the bottom of the first,they played a tape of the late Yankee P.A. Announcer Bob Sheppard introducing Jeter at the All Star Game in Old Yankee Stadium two years ago…..A moment of silence was held in memory of Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner who passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 80…..The last time the National League won an All Star Game was July 9,2006 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia 6-0. The last time the NL won in an American League park was at The Ballpark at Arlington on July 11,1995 by a 3-2 score….Capps got the win for the NL and Broxton the save while Hughes took the defeat…..Thornton was not the pitcher of record,but he did get a blown save…..The NL now has won two of the three All Star Games played here in Anaheim.

LES

Three Chicago All Stars ready to go.

Posted on by

ANAHEIM—**The three Chicago representatives for Tuesday night’s 81st All Star Game here at Angels Stadium are all set to try to help their League get Home Field Advantage for the World Series. Since Bud Selig(with prompting by Fox-TV)implemented the “Home Field for the Fall Classic” rule in 2003, the American League has won all seven All Star Games. Most were close and a few were blowouts,but even with Home Field for seven straight World Series, the A.L. has won just four of those series while the N.L. took three. Pretty close!

**For Konerko, an All Star veteran,who helped keep the A.L. alive in the 2006 contest at Pittsburgh with a two out single(The A.L. then rallied past Trevor Hoffman and the N.L.)it’s more fun,but a chance to help the A.L. start game one of the Fall Classic at home again,and with the White Sox now in first place by a half game over Detroit at the break, it means even more for Konerko and first year All Star Matt Thornton.

**Marlon Byrd,an All Star for the first time,says he’s enjoying the experience so far and looking forward to Tuesday night. He also feels that even though the Cubs dropped three of four down the road at Dodger`Stadium over the weekend,the fact that the Cubs went 4-3 on this just finished road trip is a good sign. The Cubs obviously have a long uphill climb if they hope to get back in the N.L.Central race the way the Sox did in the A.L.Central.

**This will be the third ever All Star Game here in Anaheim. Back in 1967,the NL won a 15 inning marathon 2-1 on a homer by Cincinnati’s Tony Perez. The Cubs Fergie Jenkins fanned 6 in his two innings of work. In 1989, future White Sox slugger Bo Jackson(then still with Kansas City)hit a long lead off homer for the victorious A.L.off former Cub Rick Rueschel(then with the Giants)to dead center field.

**The will be the 11th All Star Game in the State of California-the most of any State. Illinois and Missouri have hosted 7 Mid Summer Classics.Wrigley Field and Old Comiskey Park each have had three A.S.Games while in 2003, U.S.Cellular Field hosted.

**Despite the A.L. having the current seven game winning streak and thirteen in a row unbeaten(including the infamous tie in 2002 at Miller Park),the NL still leads the all time series 40-38 with two ties(in 1961 at Boston and of course 2002).

LES

Jiminez and Price to start All Star Game as NL tries to end long drought

Posted on by

ANAHEIM—On a perfect day weather wise here in Orange County,California, the American and National Leaguers hae begun to take batting practice.Later tonight is the Home Run hitting contest. Chicago has three players in Tuesday’s Mid Summer Classic. Matt Thornton and newly added Paul Konerko of the White Sox and Marlon Byrd of the Cubs. The Brewers have three, Ryan Braun,Yovani Gallardo and Corey Hart.

2010 All-Stars

Starting lineups:
AL starters |
1. I. Suzuki, RF, SEA
2. D. Jeter, SS, NYY
3. M. Cabrera, 1B, DET
4. J. Hamilton, CF, TEX
5. V. Guerrero, DH, TEX
6. E. Longoria, 3B, TB
7. J. Mauer, C, MIN
8. R. Cano, 2B, NYY
9. C. Crawford, LF, TB
SP: D. Price, LHP, TB

NL starters |
1. H. Ramirez, SS, FLA
2. M. Prado, 2B, ATL
3. A. Pujols, 1B, STL
4. R. Howard, DH, PHI
5. D. Wright, 3B, NYM
6. R. Braun, LF, MIL
7. A. Ethier, CF, LA
8. C. Hart, RF, MIL
9. Y. Molina, C, STL
SP: U. Jimenez, RHP, COL

2010 All-Stars

Starting lineups:

AL starters |

1. I. Suzuki, RF, SEA
2. D. Jeter, SS, NYY
3. M. Cabrera, 1B, DET
4. J. Hamilton, CF, TEX
5. V. Guerrero, DH, TEX
6. E. Longoria, 3B, TB
7. J. Mauer, C, MIN
8. R. Cano, 2B, NYY
9. C. Crawford, LF, TB
SP: D. Price, LHP, TB

NL starters |

1. H. Ramirez, SS, FLA
2. M. Prado, 2B, ATL
3. A. Pujols, 1B, STL
4. R. Howard, DH, PHI
5. D. Wright, 3B, NYM
6. R. Braun, LF, MIL
7. A. Ethier, CF, LA
8. C. Hart, RF, MIL
9. Y. Molina, C, STL
SP: U. Jimenez, RHP,

LES

Dodgers send Cubs into Allstar break with another stinker

Posted on by

LOS ANGELES—This was a fitting way for the Cubs to finish their awful first half with yet another awful performance. Carlos Silva,who was questionable for this game,was hit hard and also wild. He was also ejected in the bottom of the second after a second ‘bang bang’ call by first base Umpire Brian Runge went the Dodgers way,and LA went on to a 7-0 rout. Silva departed with the Dodgers already ahead 5-0,and with the bases loaded. It started badly in the bottom of the first when Rafael Furcal lined a double down the RF line. Matt Kemp walked,and that was a quick sign that Silva(9-3)normally with good control,didn’t have it.After Andre Ethier fanned, James Loney(he of the key grand slam in game one of the NLDS against Ryan Dempster two falls ago)blasted a long homer into the RF Pavilion seats to make it 3-0 before many folks got off the Hollywood Freeway into the parking lots-much less into Dodger Stadium.After failing to score against Vicente Padilla in the second, things got worse in the LA half of the frame. Blake DeWitt singled to left,then Padilla(4-2)hit a slow roller to Xavier Nady and he tried to tag the runner going by but missed him by a few inches. After a brief argument Lou Piniella returned to the dugout. Furcall walked to fill the bases,and Kemp lifted a sac fly to Kosuke Fukudome in RF. Silva then walked Ethier intentionally to re-load the sacks. Loney hit a slow roller to Nady,which he handled,but he got to first about the time as the base runner and Runge called him safe.Padilla scored and Silva was quickly ejected after yelling at the Umpire.Mitch Atkins relieved and fanned Casey Blake,but then walked Xavier Paul to force in Furcal to make it 6-0 after only two innings.The Dodgers added another in the fourth and chased Atkins who walked Paul with the bases loaded-the third walk of the inning,and eight(1 intentionally)in the first four frames.That finished the scoring but an old war between Padilla and his former Texas teammate Marlon Byrd showed up in the seventh when Padilla drilled Byrd. He remembered that when the Rangers released him(Padilla)last year,Byrd was quoted as saying that “It was addition by subtraction” with Padilla being let go. In the eighth, Andrew Cashner of the Cubs hit LA’s Blake DeWitt and warnings were issued to each bench,but nothing happened.

NOTES—Attendance was announced as 45,398, but there had to be about 10,000 no shows…..The Cubs dropped three of four to the Dodgers,but still finished this road trip 4-3. LES

Sox play long ball, rout KC, take first by 1/2 game into A.S.break

Posted on by
Carlos Quentin hit a grand slam and a solo homer, and the White Sox surged into first place in the AL Central with a 15-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.Andruw Jones hit his 400th career homer during a seven-run, four homer third inning for the Sox, who moved atop the division after trailing the Twins by 9½ games on June 8.The White Sox overcame a first half of reported disputes between Guillen and general manager Ken Williams, an inept offense and a struggling rotation for the first two months of the season.During the seven-game homestand, Quentin was 7 for 13 with six home runs and 11 RBI. Quentin, who had two home runs in the win on Saturday, had three multihomer games during the homestand. He missed three games because a sore left knee.Alex Rios and Dayan Viciedo also homered for the White Sox (49-38), who have won eight straight and 25 of 30. The Sox moved a half-game ahead of Detroit for first.On June 9, Williams vowed to make changes.A.J. Pierzynski also didn’t believe getting to the top of the division by the end of the first half was possible. After a four-game sweep over the Los Angeles Angels, the White Sox capped the homestand off with a three-game sweep of the Royals.Royals starter Anthony Lerew got two outs in the third inning then was tagged for four home runs. After missing on two big swings, Rios connected for his 15th homer on an 0-2 pitch. Then Quentin followed on a 3-1 pitch to give the White Sox a 4-1 lead. Mark Kotsay continued the third inning with a single and Pierzynski walked, then Jones hit his milestone home run into the left-field bullpen. Viciedo chased Lerew with a longball deep to left.The four home runs in the inning tied a franchise record for the sixth time. The White Sox last hit four home runs in an inning Aug. 14, 2008, against the Royals.In the sixth inning, Quentin tagged reliever Victor Marte for a grand slam. It was his 19th homer of the season. Quentin received a curtain call from the 29,040 fans.Lerew started in place of Zack Greinke, who was scratched from the start for precautionary reasons because of a sore right shoulder. Greinke is expected to start the first game back from the All-Star break on July 16 against Oakland.Lerew (1-3) allowed eight runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings.Jones passed Al Kaline and Andres Galarraga for 46th place on the all-time home run list.Before the game, the Sox called up right-hander Daniel Hudson from Triple-A Charlotte to start in place of Jake Peavy, who is scheduled for season-ending surgery on Wednesday.Hudson didn’t last long enough to earn the victory.He gave up a two-run homer to Jose Guillen in the fourth inning. In the fifth, he allowed two runs on three hits, including an RBI single to Scott Podsednik that ended his day.Hudson allowed five runs on six hits in four-plus innings.Tony Pena (3-1) pitched three-hit ball for three innings.Jose Guillen homered for the Royals, who have been swept three times on the season.
NOTES—Paul Konerko had the day off…..The Royals allowed a season high for runs and hits (18)…..The White Sox are a season-high 11 games over .500 and are a major-league best 20-9 in day games.

 

New York rallies past Sky thanks to Chicagoan Pondexter

Posted on by

Chicago Sky

NEW YORK—Marshall High School Alum Cappie Pondexter scored 30 points to rally New York to a 57-54 victory over the Sky on Sunday. She scored 14 points in the final 12:15 as the Liberty came back from 13 points down late in the third quarter.Plenette Pierson added 10 points for New York (8-9), which snapped a two-game skid and won for the fourth time in six games. The Liberty moved one game ahead of the now last-place Sky in the Eastern Conference and trail fourth-place Connecticut by 1 1/2 games.Jia Perkins had 26 points and Sylvia Fowles added 12 points and a career-high 19 rebounds for the Sky (8-11), who have lost two straight after winning four of five.The Liberty focused on defending Fowles, who was the All-Star game MVP after scoring 23 points on 9 for 11 shooting in the U.S.’s 99-72 win over the WNBA All-Stars on Saturday. Against New York, she shot 4 for 9 and had five turnovers.Fowles, who scored just four points in the second half, made a running jumper to give the Sky a 45-32 lead, matching their biggest of the game, with about 3 minutes left in the third quarter. Chicago made just four field goals and scored nine points the rest of the way.Pierson had a layup and Pondexter made a jumper and a 3-pointer from the left corner to pull the Liberty within six. Kalana Greene opened the fourth quarter with a jumper and Pondexter made a layup to get New York to 45-43 with 8:07 left.Pierson’s layup with 4:38 to go tied the score at 47, and Pondexter hit a 3 – her fourth of the game – to give the Liberty their first lead since midway through the first quarter.After Perkins hit a 3 to tie the score again, Pondexter’s fadeaway jumper with 2:23 left gave the Liberty the lead for good.Mistie Bass made a layup with 7.2 seconds left to pull the Sky to 56-54. McWilliams-Franklin made a free throw less than a second later to push New York’s lead to three, and former Liberty star Erin Thorn missed a potential tying 3 in the final second.Both teams shot poorly in the second quarter as New York was 3 for 13 (23 percent) and the Sky 5 for 18 (28 percent). The Liberty picked it up in the second half, going 11 for 30 (37 percent), but the Sky were 7 for 26 (27 percent).Perkins and Fowles scored five points each as the Sky went on a 14-0 run to take a 20-10 lead with about 2 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter.Pondexter’s pull-up jumper on the ensuing possession ended the Liberty’s scoring drought of nearly 3 minutes during which they missed three shots and had two turnovers, including a shot-clock violation.Perkins scored 15 points in the first half, including the Sky’s final eight points of the second quarter, to help the visitors take a 35-26 lead at halftime.

Rush clinch Playoff Birth, hold on to beat Arizona

Posted on by

Chicago Sky
The Rush built a big second half lead and then hung on for dear life Saturday night at Allstate Arena, defeating the Arizona Rattlers 55-50 to win its 10th game of the season and clinch its ninth-consecutive trip to the playoffs.Leading by 17 points entering the fourth quarter, the Rush (10-4) looked to be on cruise control to the postseason, but things got a bit dicey in the final period as Arizona (8-5) came storming back.With the Rush leading 55-42 and just 47 seconds left in the game, Rush wide receiver Marco Thomas – who led all Rush receivers with 13 catches for 147 yards – got behind the defense and looked to be heading into the end zone for a touchdown. However, Thomas took a bad step and badly twisted his knee. On his way to the ground he fumbled the ball, and it was scooped up by Arizona.One play later, Rattlers QB Nick Davila connected with Rod Windsor for a 28-yard TD. After Arizona was successful on the two-point conversion, the Rush lead was trimmed to 55-50.Arizona then recovered the ensuing on-side kick with just 26 seconds left and looked to have all the momentum in the game.The Rattlers marched down inside the Rush 5-yard line with five seconds remaining, but Davila’s two final passes into the end zone were broken up by Rush defensive backs Nygel Rogers and Josh Ferguson, respectively, to seal the win.

“It’s not the way I wanted to play the fourth quarter,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “But I am proud of how the defense stepped up in the final series. I also thought we played exceptionally well on both sides of the ball for the first three quarters.It feels great to know we have made the playoffs, and now we need to set our sights on winning the division.”

Offensively, Rush QB Russ Michna completed 28 of 38 passes for 321 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. And while Thomas was his main target, Michna also managed to connect with Syvelle Newton seven times for 125 yards and four touchdowns.On the other side of the ball, a week after not being able to stop the Tampa Bay Storm at all during the game, the Rush defense came up with five stops – three interceptions, a stop on downs and the stop on the game’s final series. Each of the team’s three DBs intercepted a pass, but it was Chris Martin’s first quarter interception that set the tone for the evening.With the Rush leading 14-7 and 2:28 left in the first quarter, Martin intercepted Davila’s pass intended for Trandon Harvey and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead.Playing from ahead, the Rush lead see-sawed between a one and two score lead until the final minute of the game when things began to unravel.

NOTES—The Rush’s magic number to clinch the division is two – any combination of Rush wins and Milwaukee losses totaling two give the Rush the division title and a home game in the opening round of the playoffs … The 42 points the Rush scored in the first half was tied for the most the team has scored in the first half this season, while the 13 second half points is the fewest the Rush has scored in the second half of any game this season … Rush starting center Beau Elliott returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with a knee injury … Shawn McMackin was activated this week from the league’s Injured Reserve list and played fullback, replacing Robert Boss who left the team this week to join the coaching staff at Northern Michigan University.

Sox beat Royals, Konerko added to AL All Star Team

Posted on by
Paul Konerko got a standing ovation to start the third inning and tucked it away as another memorable moment in his 12-year career with the White Sox.

“That was cool,” said Konerko, who was cheered after the crowd learned he’d been added to the AL All-Star team.

But the individual honor wasn’t nearly as impressive to Konerko as what his team has been able to do over the last month.Gavin Floyd’s strong pitching and two homers by Carlos Quentin led the White Sox past the Kansas City Royals 5-1 Saturday night — for the seventh straight win and 24th victory in the last 29 games.In early June, it looked like the White Sox’s season would pretty much be over because they were playing so poorly and had fallen nine games under .500.Now, they’re a half-game out of first and 10 games over.Gordon Beckham, who has struggled most of the season, also homered for the White Sox.Floyd (5-7), who left after Jason Kendall’s third single of the game with two outs in the eighth, gave up six hits and a run. David DeJesus ruined the shutout bid with an RBI double off reliever Matt Thornton.Sox pitching has allowed just three runs in the last three games. And Floyd is now 3-1 in his last seven starts with a 1.07 ERA. Quentin hit his 16th homer leading off the second inning against Brian Bannister. Beckham lined his third of the season over the left field fence to start the bottom of the fifth and make it 2-0. Omar Vizquel singled one out later and raced home when Konerko hit an RBI double to left with the ball momentarily rolling under the fence but still in play.K.C. left fielder Scott Podsednik retrieved the ball and relayed it to third baseman Alberto Callaspo, whose high throw was too late to get Vizquel. The throwing error allowed Konerko to move up a base and came one inning after brief but steady rain showers.Quentin then followed with his second homer of the game and third of the night off Bannister to make it 5-0.Bannister (7-7) gave up seven hits and five runs in six innings and is now 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA against the White Sox this season. The three homers ran his total to 18 surrendered in 18 starts this season.

NOTES—RHP Daniel Hudson is slated to be called up from Triple-A Charlotte and make Sunday’s start in place of injured Jake Peavy. Hudson was 1-1 in six games, including two starts, last season for the White Sox. After Saturday night’s game, the White Sox cleared a roster spot by optioning reliever Jeff Marquez to Charlotte. … Konerko, who was one of five finalists in the fan online voting contest for the final spot that was won by Nick Swisher, was named to the AL squad after the Twins’ Justin Morenau was forced to drop out because of a concussion. “I really didn’t get too much emotionally involved,” Konerko said. “I’ve been down this road. I’ve made teams and didn’t make teams. You have to kinda look at it as a win-win and I did the whole time.” … Jose Guillen (strained left quad) was back in the Royals’ lineup Saturday after sitting out the last two games. He was the DH and limped into second base after hitting a fifth-inning double. He left for a pinch-hitter in the seventh.