38

Tell me you weren't expecting the worst in the ninth inning yesterday. After all, the Twins scored the winning run in their last at bats on both Friday and Saturday nights. But nothing bad happened to spoil Mark Buehrle's fine effort (7.1 innings, one run) and the Sox managed to win one game from Minnesota, after heartbreakers in the first two games of the series. Friday's game ended with a Bartman-like play -- fan interference on a pop foul. Saturday's game featured a miraculous White Sox comeback, with Jermaine Dye coming through with a clutch home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie it up, only to see it slip away in extra innings.

Anyway, the weekend's activities left the Sox 5.5 games behind Detroit, which is having troubles of its own, and a half game behind the Twins (in the Wild Card race). The Sox have a Magic Number of 38 over the Tigers and 34 over Minnesota. On the other hand, Detroit has a Magic Number of 27 over the Sox and 28 over the Twins. And time is running out. Only 32 games remaining for the Good Guys. (We should note the elimination of KC by the Tigers since we last published. Wait till next year, Royals. Actually, you don't figure to be any better next year, but look what the Tigers have done after more than a decade of losing.) The Wild Card race figures to come down to the wire -- Sox play at Minnesota the last series of the season -- and even Boston is not out of it yet at 5.5 games back. Although, in the National League, nine teams are closer to the Wild Card lead than the Red Sox are in the A.L. This should be interesting in both leagues.

The Sox finally get a day off today after playing 24 days without a break. Tomorrow night, they host Tampa Bay, a horrible team that we have had a devil (rays) of a time beating. Let's hope the rest helps. Go Sox!