Sox lose two; Konerko hurt

Konerko was helped off the field in the top of the fifth inning of the nightcap with what the team called a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. The two losses left Chicago only one game ahead of the Twins in the AL Central.

Associated Press

Last update: September 10, 2008 - 12:51 AM

CHICAGO – Marco Scutaro hit a leadoff homer, Scott Rolen and Vernon Wells went deep, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-2 to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep Tuesday.

White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko was helped off the field in the top of the fifth inning of the nightcap with what the team called a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

“It scared me more than anything,” Konerko said. “It hurt, but the pain went away. That scared me more because you hear people say it doesn’t hurt when you blow something out.”

The extent of the injury was the lone bit of good news for the White Sox as their lead over the Twins in the AL Central dropped to one game.

Toronto took the opener 3-1 as A.J. Burnett allowed one hit in seven innings. Chicago didn’t fare any better against Jesse Litsch in the nightcap.

The righthander held the White Sox to two runs and six hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked two after pitching a four-hit shutout against the Twins last week.

Scutaro hit his second career leadoff homer, and Rolen’s two-run shot highlighted a four-run fifth in which the Blue Jays took a 5-2 lead and knocked out Clayton Richard.

Rolen’s drive made it 3-2, and Richard left after a bunt single by Scutaro that put runners on first and second with none out. D.J. Carrasco came in and with one out, Alex Rios drove a run-scoring single to right.

Konerko cut off Jermaine Dye’s throw toward the plate and his knee buckled as he released a throw toward second. Rios was eventually tagged out in a rundown, but Konerko writhed in pain as he clutched his knee before leaving the field.

The White Sox lost MVP candidate Carlos Quentin to a broken wrist last week.