78

The White Sox had their largest single-day reduction in the Magic Number of the season yesterday, by sweeping a day-night doubleheader from the first-place Tigers. The two wins dropped the Magic Number to 78 and allowed the Sox to stay within 14.5 of Detroit and to move ahead of fifth-place KC.

The first game featured a strong performance by Javier Vazquez (eight innings, four hits, three runs, eight Ks) -- his fifth consecutive win in his last five decisions. Javy has not been an Update favorite in the past because of his inability to get through a lineup the third time in a game, but he seems to have solved that problem. So we're jumping on the Javy bandwagon and must give props to Mike Sehr, who defended him when the Update was critical. The opener also included the continued resurrection of Paulie Konerko, who hit his 22nd home run, a dinger by Josh Fields, his seventh, and a 3 for 3 game by Jim Thome.

The nightcap was a different story. Kenny Williams had better hope that Gio Gonzalez is the real deal, because Gavin Floyd, the other pitcher he got in the Freddie Garcia trade, clearly is not. Floyd got clobbered again, but maybe it was another promotion with 7-11 since he gave up seven runs and 11 hits in the 4.2 innings that Ozzie left him in. Surprisingly, the Sox bullpen came through for him, holding the Tigers in check -- no runs, three hits in 4.1 innings -- while the Sox offense overcame a 7-1 lead to win 8-7. Thome continued his hot hand, smashing a three-run homer (his 17th), and Rob Mackowiak went yard with his 6th blast.

Bobby Jenks saved both games, racking up his 27th and 28th saves of the season. That gives him saves in 62.2% of the games the Sox have won, the highest percentage in baseball this year. That may just mean that the Sox aren't good enough to win many games by a lot of runs (non-save situations) or it may just show how valuable Jenks really is. Go Sox!