98

Four-bagger. Dinger. Tater. Bomb. Dong. Roundtripper. That's how many different terms for home run you'd need to describe differently each homer that the White Sox hit last night in a 10-7 win over the Dodgers. While it was one short of the team record of seven, it was the most the Sox have hit in one game in over five years. Josh Fields, who had been in an 0 for 16 slump leading up to the game, led the way with two blasts (and a single for good measure). Alexei Ramirez, Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko (taking Jim Thome's spot at DH), and even Jayson Nix hit one each. The Sox already held the all-time lead in long balls hit in inter-league play at 309 jacks going into the game, so assuming we've done the math right, last night's six raises the bar for the rest of baseball to 315. By the way, Thome is the all-time big fly leader in such games with 55, while Paulie took over sole possession of fifth place with his 45th.

In addition to the six moon shots, the Sox collected seven other safeties -- including their first pinch hit (by Dewayne Wise) in 33 attempts this season -- to more than triple their total from the first game of the series. The Good Guys are 17-4 when they reach double-digits in hits and 27-4 when they outhit the opposition. They're 28-15 when they go yard and 19-6 when they do it more than once in a game. Finally, the Sox have a 30-9 record when scoring more than three runs, but are a measly 4-28 when scoring three or fewer. So given the hit, circuit clout, and run totals, it's no wonder they won on Wednesday.

Gavin Floyd did his part, contributing his seventh straight Quality Start. This time he lasted six innings, gave up only one earned run (three total thanks to errors by Fields, Ramirez, and a passed ball by A.J.), allowed six hits and two walks, and struck out three. After Jimmy Gobble gave up a three-run shot late, Bobby Jenks had to come in to earn his 18th save. In their last dozen games, Sox starters have permitted only 19 earned runs for an ERA of 2.21.

The Tigers won again against the other team from Chicago, so their lead over the third-place Sox remains at 6.0 games. The win over L.A. though reduces the Magic Number to 98.

At least one member of the franchise will be able to look back at 2009 and say he won a World Series. Last night, Sox first-round draft pick, Jared Mitchell, hit a three-run smash in the first inning to lead LSU to an 11-4 win over Texas in the final game of the College World Series in Omaha. Now that his college season is over, the Sox can sign him. Go Mitchell! Go Sox!