Revived Yanks on the Mark Sox' Buehrle smoked for seven runs in first in rain-delayed loss

YANKEES 11, WHITE SOX 8

A struggling New York Yankees team was not a welcome sight forWhite Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on Tuesday.

"Everybody says, What's wrong with them?'" Guillen said beforeTuesday's first of three games at U.S. Cellular Field. "But that teamwill be all right, believe me. They have experience and talent.

"How many games have they played -- 13? Believe me, that team cango 70-6 the rest of the way because of the talent they have. They'vedone it before, and with the manager they have, I know they're notpanicking."

The Yankees proved Guillen's fear, jumping all over starter MarkBuehrle (1-1) with a seven-run first inning en route to an 11-8victory during a rain-delayed affair for 32,034 fans.

"That's part of the game," Guillen said. "[Buehrle] didn't havewhat he wanted to have. Things happen. Against that team, you have tobe consistent.

"But I just finished a meeting with them and I told them I'm proudof them. They battled back and made [the Yankees] come with theirbest pitcher [Mariano Rivera in the end]. I'm proud and I felt likewe won. If we keep this up all year long, it's going to be fun forthem to play this game.

"I told them in the second inning, We have nothing to lose now.Just have fun.'"

Buehrle lasted only two innings before a one-hour, 12-minutedelay, but the worst of the damage was done. He gave up eight runs,and though the Sox got that many back in a 10-hit attack thatincluded home runs from Paul Konerko (his third) and Aaron Rowand(his second), it wasn't enough.

The victory went to Paul Quantrill (2-0), one of four relieverswho worked after rookie left-handed starter Alex Graman lasted only22/3 innings. Graman let the Sox back in the game quickly by allowingfive runs.

Veteran Rivera finished the ninth for his fourth save.

The Sox split their four-game series with the Yankees in New Yorktwo weeks ago. But in this visit, the Yankees unloaded in the firstinning with their biggest first-inning explosion on the road since1988.

No sooner had the wet patrons settled into their seats than DerekJeter, Bernie Williams and Alex Rodriguez singled off Buehrle -- withRodriguez' hit a bunt that drew a wild throw from third baseman JoeCrede and led to the first run. Rodriguez had another at-bat in theinning as the Yankees sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven runs.

The barrage included five singles, a bases-loaded double by secondbaseman Miguel Cairo, a throwing error by shortstop Juan Uribe andtwo walks and a hit batter by Buehrle.

It was one of the worst outings ever for the 25-year-oldlefthander, who gave up another run in the second on a leadoff doubleby Jason Giambi and one-out double by Jorge Posada.

For the Yankees, it was as good a tonic as manager Joe Torre couldhope for after a difficult weekend in Boston where the Red Sox gotthe better of the first round of the rivalry, taking three of thefour games.

Buehrle's performance was the first bad outing by a Sox starter inthe early season. The pitching staff entered the game having worked23 consecutive innings without an earned run and ranked third in theleague with a 3.67 ERA. They allowed only four runs in the three-game weekend series in Tampa Bay, the fewest in a three-game seriessince giving up three to Baltimore in a three-game series last May.

"In spring training we had the best starting pitching inbaseball," Guillen said. "We had the best ERA, but no one believedthat. I think we're throwing the ball well.

"I don't know anything about [Graman]," Guillen said before thegame. "We'll go by the scouting reports from the minor leagues."

But he does know all about the Yankees.