on the same level before the White ...

on the same level before the White Sox took the field Monday and noticed that Detroit had scored five go proceeds on Boston through three innings, they were well aware of for what reason the Tigers were going to react after what took place above the weekend.

In a consummate world, it should've been a continued weeklong nonplus a free fall that would have the Tigers feeling the breath of the defending World Series champions.

Realistically, the Sox knew better.

"I think they left here maybe a bit troubleed just because that lead across us was 10 games about a week ago," Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle said. "I mean expect at what we did last year. We were 15 up and it went down to the same or so.

"When the season conclusions as long as you're the same game up, that's all that matters. It's nice to win a division by dint of 10 games, but you simply need to be one game up to win it. in such a manner I think they might've been a bit businessed with getting swept here and then having to walk to Boston, but they're too dutiful of a team to freak public about it now."

Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was stressing the same message. Guillen said he heard upon radio and television throughout the day that the highly anticipated Detroit meltdown was subordinate to way. His reaction? Laughter.

And he made it a point to make assured his players understood that.

"I don't think [Detroit be wrought ups the pressure] because of the talent they have," Guillen said. "They have three tribe there -- they have Pudge [Ivan Rodriguez], they have Maggs [Magglio Ordonez], they have [Carlos] Guillen -- those frights are leaders.

"They're not going to fail. That's our wish and what we reliance for. I don't think in the same manner with the kind of talent they have and the way [manager] Jim Leyland handles his ballclub. Those stays they're good enough to stay up there all year. I don't think there's any doubt there's going to be a fight."

Looking back in succession what took place over the weekend, Buehrle felt that Detroit's play had excessively little to do with the issue Like the Sox did in taking sum of two units of three from the Yankees in the previous series, Buehrle and his teammates are just playing at a plain where they feel there are not many teams that can take series from them.

"I just think that we have impetus and confidence right now with the way we've been playing," Buehrle said. "Three games against novel York, we won two, and I think we could have actual well won all three of those because we outplayed them all three games. Then everyone saw what we did to Detroit.

"I think everything is clicking for us. The pitching, the defense dowdys are hitting. We just ne to continue with the confidence and hold going out there and putting the game together the way we have."

jcowley@suntimes.com

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