Scutaro, Rolen homers lift Jays over White Sox

[September 10, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- The Toronto Blue Jays are on such a good run they think they can make the playoffs.

Marco Scutaro hit a leadoff homer, Scott Rolen and Vernon Wells went deep and the Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-2 to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep Tuesday and extend their winning streak to 10.

The Toronto Blue Jays are on such a good run they think they can make the playoffs.

Marco Scutaro hit a leadoff homer, Scott Rolen and Vernon Wells went deep and the Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-2 to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep Tuesday and extend their winning streak to 10.

Besides the sweep, the White Sox also got a big scare.

Paul Konerko was helped off the field in the top of the fifth inning of the nightcap with what the team called a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Toronto is on its longest winning streak since taking a franchise-record 11 in a row in from Aug. 27-Sept. 7, 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Blue Jays moved within seven games of Boston in the AL wild-card race.

Toronto took the opener 3-1 as A.J. Burnett allowed one hit in seven innings -- a hard drive off his third baseman.

Chicago didn't fare any better against Jesse Litsch (11-8) in the nightcap.

The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked two after pitching a four-hit shutout against Minnesota last week.

Scutaro hit his second career leadoff homer, and Rolen's two-run shot highlighted a four-run fifth in which the Blue Jays took a 5-2 lead and knocked out Clayton Richard (2-4).

Rolen's drive made it 3-2, and Richard left after a bunt single by Scutaro that put runners on first and second with none out. D.J. Carrasco came in and with one out, Alex Rios drove a run-scoring single to right.

Konerko cut off Jermaine Dye's throw toward the plate and his knee buckled as he released a throw toward second. Rios was eventually tagged out in a rundown, but Konerko writhed in pain as he clutched his knee before leaving the field.

X-rays were negative. He's scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday.

The injury couldn't come at a worse time for the White Sox. They lost MVP candidate Carlos Quentin to a broken wrist last week, and now, they could be without their emotional leader as they try to hold off Minnesota for the AL Central title.

Richard allowed five runs and five hits.

Wells added a solo homer off Lance Broadway in the ninth.

In the first game, the Blue Jays' Lyle Overbay hit a two-run, two-out double in the sixth off Javier Vazquez (11-13), and Rod Barajas singled in a run against Mike MacDougal in the ninth.

Burnett (17-10) allowed one unearned run, struck out seven and walked one, working around three errors and several other defensive lapses.

His bid for his second career no-hitter ended when Orlando Cabrera drove a hard one-hopper off Scott Rolen's glove and into left field for a single leading off the sixth.

"It happens," said Burnett, who has a career-high 208 strikeouts this season and leads the American League. "I wasn't thinking about it. You see no hits up there, but you've got a long way to go even if it's the sixth inning."

On Aug. 31, Milwaukee was infuriated when the official scorer in Pittsburgh ruled Andy LaRoche's slow fifth-inning grounder off CC Sabathia was a hit rather than an error on the pitcher, who dropped the ball during a barehand attempt. Sabathia wound up with a one-hitter, and Major League Baseball denied the Brewers' appeal asking that the scoring decision be changed to an error.

As for Cabrera's hit?

"That ball was hit pretty hard," Gaston said. "Maybe on turf, Rolen probably catches that ball, but it was hit pretty hard. I would say it's a hit."

B.J. Ryan walked Konerko and Ken Griffey Jr. leading off the ninth but escaped with his 28th save in 32 chances. He struck out Alexei Ramirez and Nick Swisher before Juan Uribe grounded out.

Chicago scored in the sixth after Cabrera's single when shortstop John McDonald booted Jermaine Dye's grounder, Burnett threw a wild pitch and Jim Thome hit a sacrifice fly that drove in A.J. Pierzynski.

Vazquez allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.

Notes: Chicago 2B Alexei Ramirez was selected AL rookie of the month after batting .308 with six homers and 22 RBIs. ... White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen reiterated he expects LF Carlos Quentin to miss the rest of the regular season after surgery for his broken right wrist on Monday. "It's going to take awhile," Guillen said. "Hopefully, if we make the playoffs, we can count on him in the playoffs. Right now, to get to the playoffs, I don't think he can help out." ... Vazquez's mother-in-law fainted during the game. The right-hander was not available for comment afterward.

[Associated Press; By ANDREW SELIGMAN]

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