Kansas City (43-53) at Chi White Sox (54-41)

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Royals rotation set for second half

Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
Zack Greinke has pitched like the ace of the Royals' staff and, for that reason, he'll start the opener of the second half against the White Sox on Friday.
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Royals probable pitcher

Zack Greinke

  • #23 RHP
  • (7-5) 3.48 ERA 104 SO
Royals: Greinke pitched quite well again in his last outing on July 10 against the White Sox in Kansas City but didn't get the victory. He gave up one run in seven innings -- on Jermaine Dye's monster home run -- but the Royals didn't come back to win until after he'd left the game. He'd also pitched well in his previous start at Tampa Bay but lost, 3-0. And three times this year Greinke got no decision after leaving the game with a lead. The bottom line is he deserves to have a higher win total. This will be his third go against the White Sox this year; they hammered him once, he stopped them once.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 28-40 4.39 580.1 154 429 .275
Season 7-5 3.48 124.0 36 104 .252
July 0-1 2.08 13.0 2 15 .250
Vs. Chi White Sox 0-1 6.23 13.0 3 11 .278

Series at a Glance

Standings - 07/18/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Kansas City Royals (AL Central) 43 53 .448 11.5 22-24 21-29
Chicago White Sox (AL Central) 54 41 .568 - 32-14 22-27
Stats - 07/18/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
KC .263 397 69 371 49 593 4.49 856.0 877 290 622
CWS .264 465 129 454 42 580 3.55 850.2 814 266 676
cws

Sox looking to stay strong after break

Shawn Shroyer / MLB.com
With just a 1 1/2 game lead in the AL Central after 94 games, the White Sox can't afford to become complacent going into the second half of the season.
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White Sox probable pitcher

Mark Buehrle

  • #56 LHP
  • (6-8) 3.68 ERA 75 SO
White Sox: Buehrle will come out of the break looking to end a personal two-game losing streak. In his last two starts he's allowed six runs, four earned, on 16 hits and three walks while he's struck out 13 in as many innings. However, he's received a grand total of two runs of support in those two starts. His last loss was especially hard to take. Buehrle had a 1-0 lead going into the eighth, but two unearned runs scored that inning off him, reversing the decision. Buehrle will face Kansas City, a club he's logged his second most career innings against, a second straight time. He's 16-7 all-time against the Royals with a 3.29 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 113-83 3.79 1753.2 405 1018 .269
Season 6-8 3.68 124.2 32 75 .277
July 0-2 2.77 13.0 3 13 .296
Vs. Kansas City 0-1 0.00 7.1 0 8 .214

Royals hitters vs Mark Buehrle

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Josh - - - - - - - -
Aviles, Mike .250 4 0 1 .333 15 0 1
Betancourt, Yuniesky - - - - .125 8 1 1
Bianchi, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Bloomquist, Willie - - - - .474 19 0 0
Buck, John .333 3 0 0 .133 45 2 4
Butler, Billy .000 3 0 0 .350 20 2 6
Callaspo, Alberto - - - - .000 2 0 0
DeJesus, David .250 4 0 0 .170 53 1 2
Dyson, Jarrod - - - - - - - -
Fields, Josh - - - - - - - -
Getz, Chris - - - - - - - -
Gordon, Alex .333 3 0 0 .235 17 0 0
Guillen, Jose .000 3 0 0 .250 16 1 2
Hernandez, Luis - - - - .500 2 0 0
Jacobs, Mike - - - - - - - -
Ka'aihue, Kila - - - - - - - -
Lisson, Mario - - - - - - - -
Maier, Mitch - - - - .400 5 0 1
Parraz, Jordan - - - - - - - -
Pena, Brayan - - - - - - - -
Pina, Manuel - - - - - - - -

White Sox hitters vs Zack Greinke

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Armstrong, Cole - - - - - - - -
Beckham, Gordon - - - - - - - -
De Aza, Alejandro - - - - - - - -
Flowers, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Gartrell, Stefan - - - - - - - -
Konerko, Paul .200 5 0 0 .135 37 1 3
Kotsay, Mark - - - - .200 5 0 0
Lillibridge, Brent - - - - - - - -
Nix, Jayson - - - - - - - -
Pierzynski, A.J. .429 7 1 2 .346 26 1 3
Quentin, Carlos .200 5 1 2 .333 9 2 3
Ramirez, Alexei .333 6 1 1 .222 9 1 2
Rios, Alex .333 6 0 1 .385 13 0 2
Teahen, Mark - - - - - 0 0 0
Viciedo, Dayan - - - - - - - -

Second-half bang for Sox (43-54) (55-40)

White Sox 9, Royals 5

Greinke struggles

Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
Zack Greinke undoubtedly wished he had another day of rest after the All-Star break, as he was not at top form against the White Sox. He gave up seven runs over three-plus frames. Billy Butler hit a three-run homer in the loss.

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Series at a Glance

 

Bats help Buehrle

Scott Merkin / MLB.com
The White Sox and Mark Buehrle showed no sign of rust after the All-Star break. They laced seven consecutive hits off starter Zack Greinke and won going away over Kansas City. Jermaine Dye and Joe Crede drove in two runs apiece in the win.
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White Sox 9, Royals 5

Kansas CityABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
DeJesus, D, CF5110011.305
Aviles, M, SS-2B3110101.310
Teahen, RF4210002.252
Butler, DH4124000.253
Grudzielanek, 2B4011001.308
  Pena, T, SS0000000.155
Gordon, 3B3000110.251
Gload, 1B4000002.272
Buck, C4000020.247
German, LF3000111.209
Totals34565358 

BATTING
2B: Aviles, M (12, Masset).
HR: Butler (3, 6th inning off Buehrle, 2 on, 1 out).
TB: DeJesus, D; Aviles, M 2; Teahen; Butler 5; Grudzielanek.
RBI: Grudzielanek (21), Butler 4 (23).
2-out RBI: Grudzielanek.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Gload.
Team LOB: 5.

FIELDING
DP: (Gload-Gordon-Gload).
 
Chi White SoxABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Cabrera, SS5110003.269
Pierzynski, C5110033.285
Quentin, LF4221010.280
Dye, RF4232100.307
Thome, DH3211201.253
Konerko, 1B3111103.219
  Anderson, B, CF0000000.229
Swisher, CF-1B3011124.236
Crede, 3B3022003.256
Ramirez, 2B3001013.308
Totals3391295720 

BATTING
2B: Crede (16, Greinke).
HR: Quentin (23, 2nd inning off Greinke, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Cabrera; Pierzynski; Quentin 5; Dye 3; Thome; Konerko; Swisher; Crede 3.
RBI: Dye 2 (57), Thome (52), Konerko (35), Crede 2 (51), Ramirez (30), Quentin (71), Swisher (42).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pierzynski 2; Crede 2; Ramirez.
SF: Ramirez; Crede.
GIDP: Thome.
Team LOB: 9.

FIELDING
E: Ramirez (6, fielding), Crede (18, fielding).
Outfield assists: Dye (Butler at 3rd base).
 
Kansas CityIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Greinke (L, 7-6)3.011773213.90
Peralta 2.11110205.52
Gobble 0.00112007.99
Tejeda 2.20000304.76
 
Chi White SoxIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Buehrle (W, 7-8)7.04432313.69
Masset 0.22110003.48
Thornton 0.10001002.31
Dotel 1.00000202.91

Greinke pitched to 3 batters in the 4th.
Gobble pitched to 3 batters in the 6th.

WP: Greinke.
HBP: Quentin (by Greinke), Konerko (by Gobble).
Pitches-strikes: Greinke 87-58, Peralta 28-19, Gobble 13-4, Tejeda 35-23, Buehrle 98-65, Masset 10-7, Thornton 10-6, Dotel 17-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Greinke 4-3, Peralta 0-5, Gobble 0-0, Tejeda 0-5, Buehrle 10-7, Masset 0-2, Thornton 1-0, Dotel 1-0.
Batters faced: Greinke 23, Peralta 8, Gobble 3, Tejeda 8, Buehrle 28, Masset 4, Thornton 2, Dotel 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Peralta 3-0, Gobble 1-1, Tejeda 3-1, Thornton 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Alfonso Marquez. 1B: Andy Fletcher. 2B: Mike Reilly. 3B: Bob Davidson.
Weather: 78 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 3 mph, In from CF.
T: 2:59.
Att: 36,291.
July 18, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner