CHICAGO --- If you are a Chicago White Sox fan and thought that Adam Dunn was going to do anything other than strike out last night on an 0-2 count, in the bottom of the eighth inning of a game that saw the Pale Hose trailing lowly Cleveland, 3-2, you are probably a liar.
Fresh off a road trip that saw the Sox get flat-out spanked, the slimmest of margins separated this Jekyl and Hyde ballclub and second place Detroit, who had won earlier in the evening to cut Chicago's lead in the AL Central to just half-a-game.
In other words, as Dunn stood there in the batter's box against Indians' reliver Vinnie Pestano, who leads the American League in holds, the entire Sox season was on the verge of flatlining. During their five-game losing streak headed into Monday night, this club looked downright ugly when it mattered most in both Los Angeles and Kansas City.
Anyhow, the slugging Dunn, he of 207 strikeouts in 509 at-bats, had been struggling, even by his standards. I don't recall the exact numbers, but I do remember hearing someone say he was something like 2 for his last 21 at-bats, despite having already belted his 40th homer of the season earlier in the game.
Still in a near coma from the long losing skid, and a terrible call by home plate umpire Larry Vanover that cost them the tying run --- and potentially the game --- the body language in the third base dugout was downright depressing for the South Siders. Sox nation was ready for, or maybe expecting, a letdown.
But something strange happened, as tends to be the case when these October pennant races come down to the wire. Dunn didn't whiff.
Instead, he belted a looping blast into the right center field gap, one that barely had enough to clear the wall near the white "Patio" sign at U.S. Cellular Field.
Fireworks. Madness. Fun. Suddenly, White Sox baseball was a joy to be a part of again, as it has been most of the season up until the last seven or so days.
It was literally like a defibrillator to the collective pulse of the White Sox and their fans. Three-run bomb. Sox lead, 5-3.
See Dunn's homer here: http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_09_24_clemlb_chamlb_1&highlight_content_id=25061697&c_id=cws
It was even enough for stone-faced manager Robin Ventura to let out a smirk after the game as he spoke.
"It didn't look good in the beginning," Ventura said. "They got 10 hits, you got four ... so it's a nice way for the offense to battle and keep going."
That doesn't mean the Sox didn't almost find a way to blow it, because they nearly did. After reliever Matt Thornton almost botched a sure double play in the top of the ninth, reliever Donnie Veal came on, and yiedled an RBI single to Shin-Soo Choo, which cut the Sox lead to 5-4. Remarkably, it was the first hit Veal had allowed to a left-handed batter all year.
But Ventura rightly stuck with Veal, who in fitting fashion, got second baseman and Chicago-area native Jason Kipnis to ground out to his counterpart, Orlando Hudson, to end the game. Ventura's decision to leave Veal in also kept lefty slugger and Sox killer Travis Hafner on the bench.
Almost fittingly, Hudson bobbled the grounder, only to recover. In the TV booth behind home plate, Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson said it best as Hudson recorded the final out.
"And this ballgame is ... (he was going to say 'OVA!' as is his trademark), bobbled!" Harrelson exclaimed, before Hudson scooped up the potentially fatal error, then whipped the ball to first baseman Paul Konerko for Veal's first career MLB save.
Sure, it's still September for the rest of the week. But in my world, and in the world of so many Sox fans, it's already October...or as I like to call it....
"Shocktober."
A magical time that Chicago fans are lucky enough to be a part of right now. A time where just about anything can --- and will --- happen.
A lesson we were all reminded of all too well last night.
Buckle up Sox fans. Nine games left. One game lead over Detroit.
It's about to get fun. Real fun.
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