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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Carlos Lee didn't wait around to see what Mariano
Rivera had to offer. He already knew.
|  | | Jose Valentin of the White Sox follows through while holding what is left of his bat after hitting a two-out, game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday. |
"He's one of the best in all of baseball. Against Rivera, maybe
the first pitch is the best one," Lee said after he hit Rivera's
first delivery of the ninth for a game-tying homer Friday night.
Minutes later, Jose Valentin hit a broken-bat single over second
to drive in the winning run, and the Chicago White Sox had a
stunning 4-3 victory over Rivera and the New York Yankees.
"I knew I had hit the ball but I had no idea where," said
Valentin, who raised his arms in triumph when he finally realized
it was headed into the outfield. "You want to get a good pitch to
hit because you don't get too many chances against Rivera."
The victory was Chicago's 17th in 21 games this month and their
fifth straight over the Yankees. They swept four at Yankee Stadium
last week, outscoring New York 42-17.
"When you play one of the best teams in baseball, it makes you
play with more confidence," Valentin said. "We're happy right
now. We've been playing good baseball, but we can't get crazy."
After the Yankees left the bases loaded against Sean Lowe (2-1)
in the top half, Lee hit his 14th homer, just the second off Rivera
in 31 1-3 innings this year.
Herbert Perry singled, advanced on Brook Fordyce's sacrifice and
Ray Durham's grounder and Valentin delivered.
Rivera (2-2) blew a save for the third time in 19 chances.
"I was trying to do the job in the ninth and I couldn't do
it," Rivera said. "They just beat me."
The Yankees, awaiting word on whether their trade to acquire
Juan Gonzalez from Detroit will be finalized, had taken a 3-2 lead
in the eighth on Bernie Williams' RBI single off Bobby Howry and
Shane Spencer's run-scoring double against Bill Simas.
Rivera struck out Chris Singleton with two runners on in the
eighth but couldn't get it done in the ninth. The victory allowed
the White Sox move 8{ games ahead of second-place Cleveland in the
AL Central.
"They seem to be taking advantage of every break they get,"
Paul O'Neill said. "They're tough."
Chicago went ahead in the fourth when Paul Konerko grounded into
a double play with the bases loaded and Singleton blooped a single
to left-center in front of a diving Spencer.
O'Neill's ninth homer cut the lead to 2-1 in the sixth as dark
clouds and lightning surrounded Comiskey Park. the game was then
delayed 1 hour, 8 minutes by rain.
New York's Ben Ford, making his first major league start,
allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Game notes
The Yankees are in third place for the first time since
April 16, 1999. ... Ford, who made eight relief appearances for
Arizona in 1998, was called up Friday from Triple-A Columbus, where
he was 3-0. He worked from the stretch the entire night, even when
runner weren't on base. It was his first major league start. ...
Magglio Ordonez had his career-high 14-game hitting streak stopped.
... Jose Vizcaino, acquired Wednesday in a trade from the Dodgers,
made his first Yankees start at second base. Chuck Knoblauch, who
made his 14th error Thursday night, was the DH for the second time
this season.. ... The White Sox have won five straight against the
Yankees for the first time since August 1992. ... The Yankees are
30-2 when leading after eight innings after going 81-2 in those
situations last season. ... Yankees manager Joe Torre said Ford
will make another start in five days.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
NY Yankees Clubhouse
Chi. White Sox Clubhouse
RECAPS
Detroit 7
Cleveland 6
Toronto 5
Boston 4
Chi. White Sox 4
NY Yankees 3
Tampa Bay 7
Texas 4
Anaheim 8
Minnesota 3
Oakland 10
Kansas City 6
Seattle 8
Baltimore 3
Florida 6
Chicago Cubs 1
Philadelphia 13
Montreal 6
NY Mets 12
Pittsburgh 2
San Diego 10
Cincinnati 7
Atlanta 3
Milwaukee 2
San Francisco 10
Houston 3
St. Louis 9
Los Angeles 6
Arizona 2
Colorado 0
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