Crisp's HR breaks scoreless tie in 9th as Royals win over Sox

[April 10, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Coco Crisp's two-run homer in the ninth inning broke a scoreless tie and the Kansas City Royals held off the Chicago White Sox 2-1 Thursday.

The Royals took two of three from the AL Central champion White Sox in the season-opening series that featured outstanding starting pitching.

It was 0-0 when Crisp connected off Bobby Jenks (0-1). Alberto Callaspo doubled with one out and Crisp hit the next pitch for his first home run of the season.

Held to just three singles for eight innings, the White Sox tried to rally in the ninth.

Carlos Quentin led off with a double against Joakim Soria, moved up on a grounder and scored on Jermaine Dye's groundout. Paul Konerko walked on four pitches and an error by third baseman Alex Gordon on Alexei Ramirez's grounder put Chicago in position, but Soria struck out pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit for his second save.

Royals starter Kyle Davies matched his career high with eight strikeouts. He gave up three hits in seven innings, and retired 11 straight batters in the middle innings.

Ron Mahay (1-0) pitched the eighth and got the win.

John Danks pitched six scoreless innings, striking out five and walking three for Chicago.

In the series, the starting pitchers gave up five runs in 38 innings with 38 strikeouts.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen tried to shake up his lineup, moving leadoff hitter DeWayne Wise down to the eighth spot and rookie Chris Getz to the top spot. Wise was hitless in his first two games with four strikeouts, and went 0-for-2 in this game.

Notes: The White Sox are preparing to welcome back former 3B Joe Crede on Friday when the Twins come to town. Crede was drafted by Chicago in 1996 and was a mainstay from 2003-08, helping the White Sox win the World Series in 2005. He had been injured much of the last two seasons. The team will honor him with a video tribute Friday. "Joe is very special in this house," Guillen said. "Very, very special. In my heart, in my mind, that guy is a pro. I don't see anybody in this ballclub or anybody in this organization that has got anything bad to say about this kid." ... Royals 1B Mike Jacobs, a left-handed hitter, sat against Danks, but pinch-hit in the eighth. ... Kansas City plays its home opener Friday against the New York Yankees.

[Associated Press]

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