75

Now that's more like it! Jon Garland pitched, and Paul Konerko and Joe Crede powered, the Sox to a 7-1 win over the division-leading Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park last night. Garland, who has been the team's most effective pitcher of late, tossed seven innings of one-run, six-hit, one-walk, five-strikeout baseball to nail down his fifth win in a row and ninth overall (against three losses). Brandon McCarthy and Matt Thornton pitched scoreless relief in the eighth and ninth to close out the win. For those of you who've been asking "Where's the beef?" (flashback to Clara Peller and Wendy's ad campaign or Walter Mondale and his Democratic primary campaign against Gary Hart), the Sox answered with some timely hitting. They were led by Captain Konerko's 22nd and 23rd homers and four RBIs (total 72) and Joe Crede's 18th dinger and two RBI (total 61). The team scored as many runs as they left on base, driving in six of seven runs with two out, and reached double digits in hits (10). Even Brian Anderson got into the act, raising his average above the Mendoza line (.201).

I don't know what Ozzie was thinking, but to me, this was pretty much a must-win game for the Sox, if there can be such a thing in mid-July. It reasserted White Sox dominance over the Tigers, raising their record on the season to 6-1 against the upstarts from the Motor City. It ended the Sox recent slide (1-5 against the Bosox and Yanks). And another loss would have put the team in a dangerous psychological state and left them a season-high 5.5 games back. The win, however, shaved Detroit's lead to 3.5 games and reduced the Magic Number to 75. By the way, watch out for the Twins; they're only six games back of the Sox. Unfortunately for them, having the sixth-best record in all of baseball doesn't mean squat in a division that is home to the two top teams in the game.

Tonight, it's Javier Vazquez vs. Jeremy Bonderman in game two of the Competition at Comerica, the Jewel of July, the Duel of the Division -- you get the idea; it's an important series, worthy of some kind of nickname. Go Sox!