MLB: Chicago White Sox 6, Orioles 3 (August 1)

WP: Mark Buehrle (12-4)
LP: Daniel Cabrera (8-9)
S: Dustin Hermanson (25)

BAL: 51-54 (4th in AL East, 8.5 behind Boston, 6 behind New York, 2.5 behind Toronto)

Despite a solid effort by Daniel Cabrera after getting hit on the pitching hand just two days ago, the Orioles could not snap their skid and were swept by the White Sox.

Cabrera went 6.1 innings giving up three runs on five hits while striking out five to record a quality start and while also giving the bullpen some much-needed rest.

The offense, however, could not solve Mark Buehrle, scoring only one run on him in five hits before he was ejected in the sixth inning for throwing at B.J. Surhoff.

The White Sox scored one run in the sixth inning, one in the seventh and three in the eighth to break the game open before the Orioles came back with two in the bottom of the eighth.

Five different White Sox had RBIs in the game, with Pablo Ozuna being the only player to record two.

The Orioles now head on the road for a six game trip that will have them facing the Angels and Rangers.

In tomorrow's game in Anaheim, Sidney Ponson (7-9, 5.80 ERA, throws right) will pitch for the first time since being knocked out of his last start against Texas when a comebacker hit his pitching hand. He will face Bartolo Colon (12-6, 3.72 ERA, throws right).

THOUGHTS:
Excuse me if I don't feel too much like writing right now, but the Palmeiro suspension was a huge blow to the team. Palmeiro claims he didn't knowingly use steroids, and I don't know how it might ever happen, but I am holding out some slim hope that maybe he will end up vindicated in this whole thing. Realistically, I expect that vindication will never come.

As for the loss, who can blame them? Apparently this black cloud has been in the clubhouse for at least a few days, because Palmeiro already went through the appeals process. This is the type of thing that can really damage your team's chemistry, and it is not at all what the Orioles needed at the moment.

While maybe it will spark the team to rally wihout him, I somehow doubt it.

The one bright note is that Eric Byrnes has been everything we had hoped he would be and more, batting exactly .400 (6-for-15) since joining the Orioles.