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This afternoon’s post is about relationships among the White Sox. The way we figure it, Freddy Garcia must be pissed at Bobby Jenks, and Jenks must love Mark Kotsay and Sergio Santos.

Garcia was the starting pitcher in today’s getaway game with the Tigers, and he continued his mastery over Detroit. In 6.2 innings, Steady Freddy gave up only one run on five hits and four walks while striking out four. With a 2-1 lead, he turned the ball over to Matt Thornton, who got the last out of the 7th inning and the first out of the 8th without yielding a run to pick up his 18th hold of the season. J.J. Putz took over from there, and finished the frame without allowing a hit, walk, or run, earning his 13th hold of the year. That set up Bobby Jenks for the save, who came in with the score 4-1 (more on that in a moment). But as a rule, Jenks does not do well when he comes in with a three-run lead, and today was no exception. He wound up giving up three runs, thus blowing his third save of the season. It was the second time since the All-Star break that he cost Garcia a win.

Fortunately, Mark Kotsay, who had homered in the top of the ninth to extend the lead to 4-1, saved Jenks’s butt. In the top of the 11th, Kotsay tripled in two runs to establish a 6-4 lead that Sergio Santos, who pitched the 10th and 11th innings, preserved. The win was Santos’s first in the major leagues and very timely.

The Twins came from behind to beat the Rays this afternoon, so had the Sox lost, the lead over Minnesota would be down to 0.5 games. With the win, it is instead 1.5 games. Thanks, Mark and Sergio. Bobby, what is Ozzie going to do with you? We’ll find out this weekend, I’m sure. Go Sox!