Game 162(+1) | White Sox – Twins First Hand Recap

by Craig Gonciarczyk

Game 162 (+1)

Well, it came down to this. Twins vs. White Sox for the AL Central Division championship and a trip to Disneyland.

The air surrounding 35th and Shields was just like that of a World Series game – people milling about bars outside, traffic backups, people trying to make a quick buck with parking, and cops. It was an announced Blackout and anything black that was moving seemed to be gravitating towards the stadium. Frequent shouts of “Go White Sox!” cut through the slightly frigid air. Getting closer and closer to U.S. Cellular Field, the streets became more like sidewalks and movement became stunted.

I had will call tickets and approached Gate 4 attempting to pick them up. A sea of black greeted me and I prepared to wait in the long lines. Salvation came in a sign stating that this was for Stubhub ticket pickup. I thought I had overheard a security guard saying will call tickets could also be picked up at Gate 5; approaching and asking him, I confirmed this. Instead of waiting for my tickets ten plus people deep, I perilously crossed 35th toward Gate 5. The three man line was like water in the desert. I quickly and easily got mine and my friend’s tickets and proceeded to head into the park.

I had heard we were getting black towels to wave around for the park that night, and they weren’t kidding. These were not White Sox towels or “Tiebreaker 2008” towels; no these were plain, simple black towels (which were kind of a let down, considering some stuff they had for the 2006 season). Upon entering the stadium, I began looking for something mentioning the tiebreaker-ness of the game; unfortunately I only managed to find a scorecard which I had to buy with a program.

My friend, after finding the nearest beer booth, found the OfficeMax sign creation station. While waiting in line, we attempted to come up with slogans to write on the board; we eventually settled on “Morneau’s a hoe.” He came up with the saying; I made sure he spelled it h-o-e and even told him to draw a garden hoe on it. Alas, the GSR working the booth came up to him and said, “No profanity.” I countered with, “But this is a garden hoe.” He quickly resolved the altercation by taking out sign away. My friend eventually came up with “John Danks You!”; I with a suggestion to bring our own sharpie to the next game.

We made our way to Section 537, Row 4, only to find (as usual) our seats were taken. We, being the resourceful duo we are, took the empty seats down the row from them. As people filed in (and we eventually strafed to our seats) a blanket of mostly black covered the stadium as if to keep it warm on a cold Chicago’s day. It appeared, by a quick view of the attendees, that about 90% complied with the “Sox Pride Blackout” mandate that was issued after the 8-2 victory against the Tigers. Exceptions included the two guys next to me and the ten or so Twins fans I saw in my section and the one to the left. My friend, seeing all the Mauer jerseys, went back to the OfficeMax booth and came back with, “Mauer’s a flower.”

The game started in the traditional way (the Sox history montage, Thunderstruck), with the exception of Gene Honda reminding everyone that this game was nationally televised on TBS and we should wave our black flags around (which was the prevailing theme of the night, whether it was actually for the Sox or the guy that chose giant lotto ball #3 and yet won all 3). Then the White Sox took the field. I hadn’t been at a game at US Cellular with this kind of emotion, tension, and excitement since Game 2 of the 2005 World Series. The air was slightly let out with the leadoff walk to Span, but became inflated again with the line-out double play and a strikeout of Joe Mauer. We kept riding that wave of excitement through the half-inning and Orlando Cabrera’s leadoff single. Then Dewayne Wise grounded out (instead of bunting) into an interesting double play and Jermaine Dye grounded out. This became the status quo for the evening, as Nick Blackburn would only give up 4 hits and 3 walks, while John Danks countered with 2 hits and 3 walks. Thus the entire season would rest one of the two hits differentiating the teams.

Each hit or walk for the White Sox was met with enthusiasm and high-five throughout the stadium; albeit more so for a hit than a walk. By the end of the fourth, the score was tied at zero; the Sox had 2 hits, the Twins, none. That would change, however, in the top of the fifth.

Mike Cuddyer, the Twins DH, lead off the inning with a double, breaking up the no-hitter. Delmon Young then flied out to Griffey in center field, deep enough to allow Cuddyer to tag up and get to third. So here we were, score tied at zero, Twins with a runner on third and less than two outs. Who would step up?

Brendan Harris swung at the first two pitches, resulting in two strikes. Could Danks be the one to step up and get the strikeout? He had been doing it all night, getting Mauer and Morneau (who usually OWN Danks), but it was not to be with Harris. After taking two balls, he hit a fly ball to center field. Griffey got under it. My initial reaction was that it was too shallow to tag up on. Cuddyer got back to third. Griffey caught it and Cuddyer took off. The Mariners Griffey would got the throw to home on the fly – heck, Cuddyer might not have ran if it was Mariners Griffey – but this was White Sox Griffey, 38 years old with an arm to match. The throw two hopped Pierzynski. On the second hop, he caught it and Cuddyer at the same time. Everyone (and I mean everyone) held their breath. Did Pierzynski hold on? What if he didn’t? He got up and showed the ball to home plate ump Tim McClelland, who signaled out. The stadium let loose like a rocket taking off, jumping, hugging, high-fiving and towel waving all over the place; only to be silenced again by Blackburn setting down the Sox in order in the bottom frame. The sixth inning saw nothing spectacular, with a walk for the Twins the only baserunner. This prompted me to say, “The longer this game goes scoreless, the more trouble we’re in.”

Danks set Minnesota down in order in the top of the 7th. Then Thome came to the plate. The at bat was a typical Thome at bat – he took two balls, looked at a strike and fouled a ball off. Then Blackburn made his only mistake.

I saw the ball leave the bat. I saw it in the air over the outfield. I saw Gomez running to the wall and stopping, looking up. I did not see, however, where the ball landed. I think Thome wanted something for his birth city to remember him by, as the ball may have landed in Peoria. Even after I got home and watched the replays, I still didn’t see exactly where the ball landed. All I know is the stadium, once again, erupted. The fireworks were barely audible over the roar of the crowd. Pandemonium ensued. There was no curtain call, as the crowd began to chant “Paul-ee, Paul-ee;” we wanted back-to-back homers. Everyone was standing and screaming. Konerko then grounded out, sending everyone back down to earth and their seats. But Griffey brought us back up with a double, followed by and intentional walk to Ramirez that elicited boos from the crowd. Gardenhire came out and removed Blackburn to the familiar chant of Steam’s “Kiss It Goodbye.” Jose Mijares came in and induced a Pierzynmki groundout and a Uribe flyout, ending the threat.

The top of the eight was upon us. Danks was still out there and Dotel and Thornton were warming up in the bullpen. He was just under 100 pitches to start the inning; he ended up with 103. A fly out, single, and double play ended the top half. The guy sitting next to me asked if I would bring Danks back out for the ninth or put Jenks in. I said I would put Jenks in; after all, if you can’t put your closer in to a one run game, you shouldn’t be in the playoffs anyways. He was fairly adamant about putting Danks back on the mound. The Sox got a single (off Joe Nathan!) in the bottom of the eighth and nothing else.

“Boom!” Everyone was on their feet, clapping and screaming as loud as they could. Jenks came running in from the bullpen, trying to hang on to the slight advantage they had. Kubel, a noted Sox-killer, pinch hit for Gomez and struck out, making the roar even louder. Span grounded out. The whole stadium was a vacuum of black noise and swirling towels. If Casilla, the next hitter, got on base, Mauer and Morneau were next. In a one run game, that would be disastrous. The crowd didn’t have to wait long. Casilla swung at the first pitch. A short, looping fly ball was hit to right-center field. Like so many balls that were hit by the Twins at the Metrodome last week against the Sox, this one looked destined to fall.

Except it didn’t.

Brian Anderson, a defensive replacement for Griffey, dove and made a spectacular catch. As soon as he hit the ground the entire place shook. Jumping, beer spilling, cameras going off (and being dropped), hugging, disbelief, elation – every positive and jubilant emotion to be had was on display at The Cell. It was like one giant, black-coated hug. The players mobbed each other on the field. Hats and shirts were distributed. Danks, Thome, and Pierzynski were all being sought for interviews before heading to the locker room. The jumbotron was showing the scene inside the clubhouse, taped up and ready to be bathed in bubbly (and Miller Lite!). All the players came back out and sprayed each other; some even ran out to the warning track and sprayed the fans there. After clinching everything in 2005 on the road, it was a nice to see them celebrate properly in front of the home crowd. Thome, Swisher, and Konerko each got on the mic and thanked the fans.

After the celebration died down a bit, I headed off to the gift shop to get some AL Central champs gear. After waiting 10 minutes in line, I entered to no hats left and shirts going for $35.00 (which I passed on). Walking out and down the ramps, high-fiving and chants of “Let’s Go White Sox,” were on every level; I even heard a “Let’s Go Dodgers” chant get started. Reaching the ground floor, we headed towards the ticket windows to see if ALDS tickets were going on sale. I remembered they had a raffle for them and decided not to waste any more time standing there and left.

The streets were blocked off and fans were celebrating on 35th, in the parking lot, and in front of the 2005 World Series monument. As I walked back to catch my ride, horns were being honked like a wedding was passing through. Residents of the area had some out; their children were all waving and shouting “Go White Sox!” in their cherub-like tenor.

The further away from the ballpark we got the, the horns and random shouting decreased. Now all is left is for the Black Plague to descend upon the Tampa Bay Rays.

[tags]chicago white sox, minnesota twins, mlb, mlb playoffs[/tags]

Tags: bobby jenks, Chicago White Sox, jim thome, ken griffey jr, minnesota twins, MLB, mlb playoffs, us cellular field

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