142

The White Sox are back in first place after a come-from-behind 6-3 win over Seattle yesterday in the final game of the homestand. The temperature warmed up a bit and so did the Sox bats, as the team collected 12 hits, including two doubles and three solo home runs -- by Carlos Quentin, Jermaine Dye, and A.J. Pierzynski. A.J. also threw out his first baserunner of the season; before that opponents had been 22 for 22 in stolen base attempts against the Sox.

Gavin Floyd pitched well enough to keep the Sox in the game, struggling though still posting a Quality Start. Floyd allowed 10 hits and two walks, but limited the Mariners to three runs in his six-inning stint. Matt Thornton, Scott Linebrink, and Bobby Jenks picked up the win, hold, and save, respectively, and held the M's without a run in their three innings of relief.

Brian Anderson left the game with a right oblique muscle injury, joining Jim Thome (bruised left heel) among the walking (in Thome's case, just barely) wounded. Jerry Owens took over for B.A. and managed to lower his already anemic batting average to .083. That could be the last we see of Owens in a Sox uniform. He was seen shaking hands with teammates as he exited the locker room with his stuff in an athletic bag. With Dewayne Wise getting closer but not yet ready to come off the DL (separated shoulder), the question is who takes over in center. (John Fogerty is almost 64 years old, so despite singing "Put me in, coach. I'm ready to play, today. Look at me. I can be centerfield," it won't be the old Credence Clearwater Revival frontman.) Brent Lillibridge, he of the .146 batting average, can play the outfield, but that means someone else has to play second. Alexei Ramirez could move back there temporarily or could even play center, but there are other options. Jayson Nix, who can play the infield is hitting .450 in a rehab assignment in Charlotte after hitting .300 in Birmingham. And Scottie Pods is batting 11 for 42 (.262) with one stolen base in Charlotte. Hopefully, Anderson is a quick healer.

The win and Detroit's loss to the Yankees mean that the Magic Number is down to 142. The Sox's hold on first place is rather loose, with the Tigers and Royals occupying the top spot along with the Good Guys. The Twins are only a half-game back in the tightest division in baseball. (No other division's fourth place team is closer than 3.5 games out of first.) It'll probably be this way all season long in the Central, as no team looks good enough yet to separate itself from the pack. It's sort of like racing at Talladega, with everyone bunched together for much of the race. (Historic note: This is The Update's first-ever NASCAR reference.) Go Sox!