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 "REVENGE," the hat read in big block letters with a smaller "Noe"
underneath.
Revenge, indeed.
Noesi had one of his better outings of the season Sunday against his
former team, pitching into the seventh inning to help the Chicago
White Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Although the White Sox acquired Noesi from the Texas Rangers earlier
this season, he spent most of the previous two seasons with the
Mariners and started this season in Seattle before being traded.
Sunday was a good opportunity to show that decision was a mistake.
"Yeah, it crossed my mind," he said. "But if I didn't put it out of
my mind, I'd be lost."
Noesi (3-6) was anything but lost Sunday, allowing just five hits in
6 2/3 innings to bounce back from a rough outing last week where he
allowed five runs in five innings against the Los Angeles Angels.
"He was good," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "He had a great
changeup, had a good feel for it. It looked lively coming out of his
hand. He got in a few little ruts there but when you can throw that
changeup at any time, I think that just becomes an equalizer for
him.
 "If he can locate his fastball it just seems to jump out of his
hand. But the changeup is really the feel pitch for him that he's
acquired since he's been here, of being able to throw it at any
time."
However, in the other dugout, Noesi's former skipper was less than
impressed.
"If you're looking for accolades from me, you'd probably be better
off going talking to them," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said.
"We swung at a lot of balls. If we were patient, we probably should
have walked seven or eight times today. We just didn't have good at
bats."
The White Sox took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning
without generating much offense themselves. With two out and none
on, third baseman Conor Gillaspie walked and first baseman Jose
Abreu followed with a single to center to put runners on first and
third. Gillaspie then came in to score as the next batter,
designated hitter Adam Dunn, draw a walk. Ball four sailed over the
head of Seattle catcher John Buck for a wild pitch as Gillaspie
raced home.
That play was indicative of the outing for Seattle starter Taijuan
Walker because control was his primary issue. It's somewhat amazing
he only allowed the one run on two hits in four innings. The White
Sox had runners on base in each inning, but couldn't produce the big
hit to open the lead.
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That was fine because Noesi and the beleaguered White Sox bullpen
made it stand up.
Noesi was lifted with two outs in the seventh and runners on first
and third after getting center fielder Endy Chavez to fly out.
Reliever Eric Surkamp walked the first batter he faced, right
fielder Michael Saunders, to load the bases, but then got second
baseman Robinson Cano to fly out to end the inning.
Jake Petricka then worked perfect eighth and nine innings to get his
third save -- with a big assist from center fielder Adam Eaton. Hart
led off the eighth and hit a line drive toward the right-center gap
that seemed like a sure extra-base hit, but Eaton raced over and
made a diving catch for the first out.
Petricka then retired the next five batters he faced.
"We had a great defensive game today," Ventura said. "The outfield
was playing great. You have Eaton out there making plays like that
-- you have to be able to do that, especially winning games like
this. It becomes crucial every time a guy gets on base."
NOTES: Second base umpire Dana De Muth, the crew chief, left the
game after a collision with Chicago 2B Gordon Beckham in the top of
the fifth inning. Three umpires worked the remainder of the game as
De Muth dealt with a strained hamstring ... White Sox 3B Conor
Gillaspie left the game in the fifth inning after being hit in the
right knee with a pitch. The team listed his injury as a bruised
knee. ... The Mariners announced before the game that RHP Felix
Hernandez's next start will be pushed back from Thursday to Friday,
so he can face the Oakland A's. "You want your best pitchers facing
your division rivals," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "It just made
sense; they're the guys in front of us. I'd be foolish if I didn't
want Felix facing Oakland and Anaheim."
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