White Sox Lose, but Win Central Title

So what if the Chicago White Sox didn’t win and storm the field in a traditional celebration?

They still clinched the American League Central title, and that’s what mattered most.

“We had a chance to do it on the field and fell apart, but we’ll take it,” first baseman Paul Konerko said after Sunday’s 6-5, 10-inning loss to the Minnesota Twins at Minneapolis. “We didn’t win the division because of one day. It was won over six months.”

Matt Lawton hit a two-out homer in the 10th to win it for the Twins.

A few minutes earlier, the scoreboard showed Kansas City beat Cleveland, eliminating the second-place Indians from division contention.

A large contingent of sign-toting Chicago fans among a small Metrodome crowd came to their feet to cheer when the score popped up. The White Sox saw it, as well.

Even after Lawton’s homer, the White Sox met in front of their dugout to exchange and hugs. Yards away, Lawton was mobbed by his teammates.

“I’ve never seen a celebration by both teams when the game ends,” White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said.

Kansas City 9, Cleveland 0--Blake Stein pitched seven scoreless Indians for the Royals at Kansas City, and now the Indians’ only route left to the playoffs is as a wild card.

“It doesn’t matter if you win the division,” Cleveland’s Jim Thome said. “It’s getting in and winning the whole thing that’s important.”

The Indians headed home to play a unique day-night doubleheader today. Cleveland plays the White Sox in an afternoon makeup game before playing the Twins at night in a regularly scheduled night game.

Since 1900, only once has there been a three-team doubleheader at the same ballpark. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Giants 6-4, then lost to the Boston Braves, 2-0, on Sept. 13, 1951, at Sportsman’s Park.

Baltimore 1, Boston 0--Another day, another loss closer to elimination for the Red Sox as the Orioles’ Mike Mussina tied his career high with 15 strikeouts at Boston.

Mussina (10-15) allowed five hits in seven innings and walked none, striking out at least one batter in every inning he pitched. Bothered by a sore leg, Mussina decided to come out of the game, even though he had a chance to break the record of 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, a mark shared by Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood.

Carl Everett, benched Saturday and Sunday by Manager Jimy Williams after showing up late for a game and then criticizing his manager, pinch-hit leading off the ninth and walked.

Tampa Bay 6, Toronto 0--Rookie Travis Harper pitched a two-hitter for his first major league victory as the Devil Rays won at Toronto.

Toronto, which has seven games remaining, fell 5 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees. The Blue Jays are 3 1/2 games behind in the wild-card race.

Harper, making only his fourth big league start, is first AL player to collect a shutout for his first major league win since the Angels’ Tim Fortugno blanked Detroit on July 25, 1992.

Harper (1-2) gave up a single to Darrin Fletcher in the third, and a double to Tony Batista in the seventh. Before Batista doubled, Harper retired 10 in a row.

New York 6, Detroit 3--Andy Pettitte became the first pitcher to win 100 games with the Yankees since Ron Guidry, and Tino Martinez homered twice to lead the Yankees over the Tigers at New York.

Pettitte (19-8) improved to 100-54 since making his major league debut with the Yankees in 1995. He also gave himself a chance to win 20 this season.