TUCSON, Ariz. How much is at stake for the White Sox this season?
The first intrasquad game of the spring answered that, as general manager Ken Williams was so into it that he clapped and all but jumped out of his seat after Jerry Owens led the bottom of the first off with a picture-perfect bunt down the first base line.
Owens, who is a candidate for the starting job in left field, as well as the lead-off spot, then scored on a perfectly executed hit-and-run from Orlando Cabrera. Welcome to Sox baseball 2008.
While Owens did leave the game after tweaking his groin in the second inning, manager Ozzie Guillen said it wasnt serious and he would be able to play in the final intrasquad game on Tuesday if need be.
Owens and Nick Swisher each finished the game with two hits, but Owens was clearly the story.
Other highlights included:
–Starter Gavin Floyd went two innings, allowing an unearned run thanks to a Cabrera error at shortstop, and only giving up a Swisher single.
–Reliever Scott Linebrink allowing an earned run off two hits in an inning of work.
–Reliever Ehren Wassermann looking nasty in throwing a perfect inning.
–Left-hander Andrew Sisco throwing a scoreless inning, as well as ending the game on a double play.
–Rookie Alexei Ramirez starting at shortstop falling a few feet short of a home run off Floyd in his first at-bat.
