Subscribe
Jobs
Cars
Real Estate
Apts
Classifieds
Shop
CHICAGO – Jose Contreras returned from a stint in the minors, rebounded from a miserable start and has given the Chicago White Sox the reliable pitching that has helped produce a long stretch of winning baseball.
“He came up right at the time we needed him the most,” manager Ozzie Guillen said Wednesday night after Contreras beat the Cleveland Indians 5-1 – the White Sox’s 16th victory in 22 games.
“Since he got back from the minors, he’s been a big help. Huge. ... I think since he got here, stuff started to turn around with the pitching staff,” Guillen added.
Contreras (4-7) gave up one run and six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He is 4-2 with a 2.06 ERA in six starts since being recalled from the minors June 8. His trip to Triple-A was made so he could work on his pitches after an 0-5 start.
“I didn’t think I was going to come back and maybe pitch the way I’ve been pitching,” Contreras said through a translator. “But I’m glad it’s been working out. It means all the work had paid off.”
Contreras, the ace of the White Sox staff in the second half of 2005 and in the playoffs that season when they won the World Series, ruptured his Achilles’ tendon last August. He made a remarkably quick comeback. Maybe too quick, despite losing 30 pounds after the injury.
“Losing all the weight, if I knew that would have helped me out that much I might have lost it six years ago,” Contreras said. “Physically I was ready when I came in at the beginning of the season, but I don’t think mentally I was ready. The edge wasn’t there, but finally it’s all coming together.”
RANGERS 8, ANGELS 1: Andruw Jones hit three home runs in his first three at-bats and Texas routed Los Angeles in Anaheim Calif.
The Rangers got to Angels starter Ervin Santana early, with Jones hitting home runs off him in the first and third to give Texas a 4-0 lead.
Jones added a solo shot in the fifth off reliever Rich Thompson.
With a chance to tie the major league record for home runs in a game, Jones popped out in the sixth against Kevin Jepsen and struck out against Jason Bulger in the ninth.
TIGERS 3, ROYALS 1: Rookie Lucas French outdueled Zack Greinke in Detroit.
French (1-0) beat Greinke in just his second career start, holding the Royals to one run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Three Tigers relievers finished, with Fernando Rodney pitching the ninth for his 19th save.
RED SOX 5, ATHLETICS 4: First-time All-Star Tim Wakefield earned his AL-leading 11th victory, and David Ortiz hit a home run and drove in four runs in Boston.
Wakefield (11-3) gave up one earned run despite allowing 10 hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
RAYS 10, BLUE JAYS 9: All-Star Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer and had an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave host Tampa Bay the win.
B.J. Upton stole home in the first inning for the Rays.
YANKEES 4, TWINS 3: A.J. Burnett won his third consecutive start, and Brett Gardner’s two-run single helped New York build an early lead in Minnesota.
ORIOLES 5, MARINERS 3: Baltimore took advantage of two errors by second baseman Jose Lopez and rallied for five runs in the ninth inning in Seattle.
