108

The White Sox completed their season-longest (12-game) homestand by tipping the Tigers 4-3 on a walkoff hit by Scott Podsednik in the bottom of the ninth inning. Brian Anderson started the winning rally with a single and advanced to third on a Chris Getz sacrifice and throwing error. Josh Fields, who started at first for Paul Konerko (out with a thumb injury) drew a walk to load the bases and set the stage for Pods to be the hero. The win went to Bobby Jenks, who didn't deserve it. Big Bobby came on in the ninth to protect a 3-1 lead but gave up a home run to register his second blown save of the year. That cost Gavin Floyd the win. Floyd pitched a beauty, lasting eight innings while allowing only one run on five hits. His control was superb, with 77 strikes in 111 pitches, which led to five strikeouts and no walks.

Jim Thome continued his hot hitting by smacking his 12th homer of the year (No. 553 all-time), but will now be relegated to pinch-hitting duties as the Sox play the next nine games on the road in National League parks. (Insert usual rant about different rules in the two leagues here.) A.J. Pierzynski also belted a round-tripper, his sixth, in the eighth inning to give the Sox what should have been a comfortable 3-1 lead with Jenks coming in to pitch the ninth. Fortunately, the small-ball offense saved for the Sox what Jenks couldn't, and the Sox salvaged their second win against the Tigers (out of five in the series).

Business travel prevented us from reporting on Wednesday's game, but that's just as well. Suffice it to say, the Sox wasted a fine effort from John Danks (7.1 innings, five hits, one run) and fell to Justin Verlander, who pitched even better -- a complete game 2-1 win marred only by a Thome homer. There were some winnable games that got away in this series, but that's the difference between a good team and what the Sox are right now.

The Magic Number is down to 108, but Detroit's with respect to the White Sox is 97. You math whizzes out there will know that means the Sox trail the Tigers by 5.5 games. It's on to Milwaukee -- where the Sox used to play several home games a year when the Good Guys were drawing bupkous at Comiskey, so maybe there are a few fans still up there -- to face the Brewers.

The Tribune is reporting that Update favorite, Frank Thomas, is going to be working for Comcast during the two Sox-Cubs series. With Konerko idled by his thumb injury and Thome a liability at first, we'd rather see the Big Hurt suit up, but we're glad to see him doing anything associated with the Sox. Go Frank! Go Sox!