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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago White Sox wanted Charles Johnson for
his defensive presence in their push to the postseason. That's why
they traded for him. And now, they're getting much more, another lift for their
already potent offense.
|  | | White Sox catcher Charles Johnson watches his eighth-inning homer sail out of the park against the Angels at Comiskey Park Saturday. Johnson had three hits and a career-high seven RBI. |
Johnson had a career-high seven RBIs Saturday night, hitting a
three-run homer, a three-run double and an RBI single to lead a
13-6 win over Anaheim, as the White Sox increased their AL Central
lead to 8½ games.
"I'm getting used to my environment here," Johnson said. "When you come in as a catcher, it's tough because there is a
lot of focus on me trying to work with the staff and learn a lot of
these guys. I'm trying to plug away and get my hits and keep my
average up because if I do, the home runs take care of themselves."
Johnson is batting .310 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 24 games
with the White Sox since he was acquired from Baltimore along with
Harold Baines for Brook Fordyce on July 29.
And in this his best offensive season overall, he's hitting .297
with career highs in homers (25) and RBIs (75). Not bad for a guy now batting ninth in a lineup that's been
scoring a lot of runs all season.
"It's a tough lineup all the way down, from the top to
bottom," Johnson said. "Whenever you hit ninth, some times you do
think you might not get a lot of RBI situations. But every since
I've been here, there seems to be guys on base."
Johnson doubled to clear the bases in a four-run second and hit
his 25th homer in the seventh to ward off an Angels comeback.
"He's not really a ninth-place hitter but in our lineup he bats
ninth, that kind of spreads out the power," White Sox manager
Jerry Manuel said.
"He gives you a guy in the ninth hole who can dominate a game
like he did tonight. And he stops the running game as well
defensively, he blocks the ball and stays with the game plan."
Jim Parque (11-6) got his first win since Aug. 16 and appeared
to be breezing with a two-hit shutout and 10-0 lead after Chicago
scored five in the fifth. But he was removed after walking the
first three batters to start the sixth.
Mark Buehrle relieved, and after Ron Gant's run-scoring
fielder's choice grounder and Ray Durham's error for dropping a
throw, Garret Anderson hit his 32nd homer, a three-run shot.
The Angels loaded the bases off Buehrle with no outs in the
seventh on a single and two more walks before Kelly Wunsch got out
of the inning, allowing just a sacrifice fly to Mo Vaughn that made
it 10-6.
Johnson's homer off Bryan Ward followed singles by Paul Konerko
and Jeff Abbott.
"We didn't give ourselves a real chance," Angels manager Mike
Scioscia said. "We had five hits. We were down 4-0 and still had
confidence. But down 10-0, the chances are remote you'll get
back."
The White Sox took advantage of Kent Mercker's wildness to score
four times in the second, then broke away with a five-run fifth.
Mercker walked the bases loaded and Abbott hit an RBI single
before Johnson cleared the bases with a double off the right-field wall.
Mercker (1-3) gave up four runs and two hits in two innings and
left with a strained rotator cuff. "He could miss a start, best case," Scioscia said, adding
Mercker might need an MRI.
Johnson made it 5-0 with a run-scoring single in the fourth off
Lou Pote. In the fifth, Magglio Ordonez hit an RBI single and Carlos Lee
greeted Mark Petkovsek with a two-run double when his liner sailed
over Gant's head in left. Lee scored from third on a wild pitch and
the 10th run crossed on shortstop Benji Gil's throwing error.
"There's nothing greater than being in the stretch run, trying
to get into the playoffs," Vaughn said. "We're playing a pretty
good club offensively. They're playing for something, too."
Game notes
Johnson's seven RBIs are the most by a White Sox hitter
since Robin Ventura had eight against Texas in 1995. Johnson's
previous high six RBIs against the Reds that same year. ... The
Angels allowed a season-high 13 runs. ...Chicago SS Jose Valentin,
who won Friday night's game with a pinch-hit, two-run single to cap
a six-run eighth, was back in the lineup despite inflammation of
the pelvis. He had a single and stolen base, and made a nifty
defensive play behind second. ... Mercker's two-inning outing was
his shortest in five appearances since coming off the DL on Aug.
12. He had a cerebral hemorrhage May 11.
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Quick hook: White Sox release Hill after one start
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