White Sox 7, Twins 4: Fourth-inning disaster extends slide

by Jon Marthaler on May 21, 2009 9:11 AM EDT in Game Recaps Comment 7 comments

This is a picture of a man who can't seem to get anyone out right now. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The Twins pitching staff put seven zeroes on the board, but one outlandishly crooked number in the fourth inning was all it took for Chicago to extend Minnesota's losing streak to six games. Francisco Liriano had himself yet another disaster on the South Side, giving up seven runs in the fourth to blow the Twins' puny 2-0 lead.

Paul Konerko tied the game with a two-run homer in that inning, before Jermaine Dye ripped a bases-loaded fastball approximately 940 feet to left for a grand slam.

The loss drops Liriano to 2-5 on the season; the seven runs help bloat his ERA to 6.04, and you have to wonder if it's time to accept that the glorious 2006 edition of Liriano - you remember, the guy with the 2.16 ERA, the guy that struck out more than a hitter per inning? - is pretty much dead and buried.

The Twins are now five and a half games out of first, behind a Detroit team that they just swept last week. Yes, it's early yet, but being five games under .500 as Memorial Day approaches is not the way to set up a challenge for the division title.

"We're not OK with what's going on," said Michael Cuddyer (to the Pioneer Press).

Neither are we, Michael. Neither are we.

(Ed. Note: Sorry about the lateness of this recap; the series of tubes went down in England.)

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Comments

It's time for naked batting practice

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on May 21, 2009 9:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Need something more drastic for the pitchers

by Adam Peterson on May 21, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let the pitchers pitch naked BP

Cups mandatory, all other clothing optional.

"You're thinking too much. Just have fun." -- Bennie "The Jet" Rodriguez in Sandlot

by cmathewson on May 21, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As long as I don't have to watch

whatever happens behind closed doors.

by Adam Peterson on May 23, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Uh oh

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all."
~ Earl Weaver
"In God we trust. All others must provide evidence."
~ Billy Beane

by AdamOnFirst on May 21, 2009 10:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The loss drops Liriano to 2-5 on the season; the seven runs help bloat his ERA to 6.04, and you have to wonder if it’s time to accept that the glorious 2006 edition of Liriano – you remember, the guy with the 2.16 ERA, the guy that struck out more than a hitter per inning? – is pretty much dead and buried.

Yup, if he can’t throw that slider 40+ times a game, he is a mere mortal.

by guinness junky on May 21, 2009 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs