Sox sock Sox with barrage of home runs

CHICAGO – The White Sox got the winning socks: five of ‘em.

Now, after such a powerful start, maybe it’s their turn to end a title drought.

Stunning the World Series champions with five homers – two by A.J. Pierzynski – Chicago routed the Boston Red Sox 14-2 Tuesday in their American League Division Series opener.

“It’s nice when you get a game like this, but we’ve played enough of the other ones to not expect this,” White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said. “I don’t think we really felt comfortable until we were up eight, 10 runs.”

Pierzynski went the final month of the regular season without a homer, but his first one Tuesday – a three-run shot – capped a five-run first inning against Matt Clement. It came right after the catcher tried to bunt, only to have the ball roll foul.

“Just one of those things, I got good pitches to hit and I hit ‘em,” Pierzynski said. “In the playoffs you get to start over and forget what you did in the past.”

Konerko, Juan Uribe and leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik – who didn’t have a homer all season – also connected.

Jose Contreras pitched effectively into the eighth inning, ending Boston’s eight-game postseason winning streak that carried the team to its first title in 86 years last season.

But it was Chicago’s bats that took Boston out early and made Contreras’ job easier.

“The power, obviously, surprises you. Podsednik hits his first homer of the year, that’s surprising,” Boston’s Kevin Millar said. “But it doesn’t matter how they do it. We’ll just come back tomorrow and try to win a game.”

The White Sox are trying to end a championship drought that’s longer than the one Boston faced a year ago. It dates way back to the days of Shoeless Joe Jackson and their most recent World Series crown in 1917, the last time they won any playoff series at all.

One sign in the stands summed up hopes on the South Side:

“2004: Their Sox. 2005: Our Sox.”

Then again, Boston has done fine overcoming October deficits. The Red Sox rallied from 3-0 down to beat the New York Yankees in the A.L. Championship Series last year before sweeping St. Louis in the World Series for their first title since 1918.

They started that remarkable run last October after they were beaten 19-8 in Game 3 of the ALCS.

“That was a long time ago,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “It’s a different team. I’ve said so many times that last year doesn’t matter.”

Game 2 in the best-of-5 series is today with Chicago’s Mark Buehrle facing Boston’s David Wells.

The White Sox got their first playoff victory since 1993, and the home run derby sent a sent a raucous, towel-waving crowd of 40,717 into delirium as they roughed up Clement.

“It’s disappointing. No excuses. I pitched bad,” Clement, a former Spokane Indian, said. “I threw bad pitches. They hit them.”

Konerko added a solo shot in the third and Uribe a two-run drive to finish Clement in the fourth. Podsednik hit a three-run shot off Jeremi Gonzalez in the sixth. Pierzynski connected again in the eighth.

The White Sox had 200 homers this season, despite their label as a “small-ball” team with the speedy Podsednik at the top of the lineup.

Contreras, who was 2-4 with an 11.67 ERA in his career against the Red Sox, allowed eight hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings in his first playoff start.

White Sox 14, Red Sox 2

CHICAGO LEADS SERIES 1-0

a-singled for Iguchi in the 8th. b-flied out for Dye in the 8th. c-popped out for Konerko in the 8th. d-doubled for Millar in the 9th. E—Crede (1). LOB—Boston 7, Chicago 2. 2B—Renteria (1), DOrtiz (1), Millar (1), Olerud (1), Graffanino (1), Pierzynski (1). HR—Podsednik (1), off Gonzalez; Uribe (1), off Clement; Konerko (1), off Clement; Pierzynski 2 (2), off Arroyo, Clement. RBIs—Millar (1), Podsednik 3 (3), WHarris (1), Konerko 2 (2), Rowand (1), Pierzynski 4 (4), Uribe 3 (3). SB—Podsednik (1). CS—Podsednik (1). S—Iguchi. Runners left in scoring position—Boston 4 (MRamirez 2, Nixon, Graffanino); Chicago 1 (Blum). Runners moved up—MRamirez.

Inherited runners-scored—Cotts 1-0. HBP—by Gonzalez (Pierzynski), by Clement (Dye), by Clement (Podsednik). WP—Contreras. T—2:56. A—40,717 (40,615).