James Shields lost something for four perplexing starts, but the 34-year-old right-hander said he never lost his desire to win again.
Don’t think for a second the White Sox rejuvenated right-hander is playing out the string as he heads into the “seasoned veteran” phase of his career. Close misses in the postseason are a driving force.
“Absolutely, man,’’ said Shields, who, as a Tampa Bay Ray won Game 1 of the 2008 World Series won by the Philadelphia Phillies. “In 2014 I lost [as a Kansas City Royals teammate, not a participant] Game 7 of the World Series. I was that close to getting a ring. My main focus is to get one and win a championship. Before I leave this game — I don’t know when that is going to be — that’s what I want.’’
“White Sox” and “World Series” haven’t been worded in the same sentence for some time, but after Shields helped pitch the Sox to an 8-2 victory over the New York Yankees before a spirited Fourth of July crowd of 30,955 at U.S. Cellular Field Monday, the Sox are at least entertaining thoughts of the postseason again.
They’ve won three games in a row, seven of 10 and 10 of their last 14 while winning four straight series and taking the first of a three-game series against the Yankees.
Shields, after getting pole-axed for 22 runs over 8 2/3 innings covering three starts after getting traded from the Padres to the Sox a month ago, has a 3.06 ERA over 17 2/3 innings covering his last three starts including wins in his last two.
Manager Robin Ventura called it Shields’ best outing yet. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks to out-duel CC Sabathia.
”It’s starting to creep its way back up there,’’ Ventura said. “It started in Boston and to come back here and have this one, you just keep moving that needle in the right direction. Today, he gave us what we needed. Today, he had a little bit more velocity, he located a lot better and his off-speed stuff he was getting some swing and miss stuff that he hadn’t gotten earlier.’’
Shields trailed 2-0 on Chase Headley’s two-run homer in the second, but red-hot rookie shortstop Tim Anderson (2-for-5, two runs, two RBI) hit his fourth homer against CC Sabathia in the third with rookie right fielder Jason Coats (single) on first. In the fifth, the Sox scored three on a sacrifice fly by Brett Lawrie and a two-run homer by catcher Dioner Navarro.
Lawrie singled in a run in the seventh and Anderson, after reaching on Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius’ third error, sped home from second on Jose Abreu’s single. Todd Frazier (3-for-3, two doubles) singled home another run.
Shields made a pitch on the black part of the plate to Headley, which explained why that scream into his glove after the inning could be heard on the second and third levels of the ballpark.
“I love the emotion he shows, man,’’ Frazier said. “That’s something you don’t see too often. I tell him, you have to calm down a little bit and just get on the mound and keep pumping in strikes and that’s what he did.’’
The Sox have 23 homers in their last 13 games, but what Shields likes is seeing the little things.
“For me, what I’m looking at is guys moving guys over and getting guys in,’’ he said, “and we’re executing that really well.’’
When Shields arrived, the Sox were scuffling through a 10-26 stretch that seemingly left them for dead.
“Right when I came in here these guys, they were struggling but they had a great attitude, they’re grinding from the first inning to the ninth inning every single game and that hasn’t stopped,’’ Shields said. “We’re definitely in the right direction, on the right foot right now. Obviously Cleveland had a good winning streak that kind of held us back but we’re not really worried about that — we’re worried about winning series right now, and so far so good.’’
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Email: dvanschouwen@suntimes.com
