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May 19--SAN FRANCISCO -- Manager Ozzie Guillen acknowledged Sunday the White Sox's defense isn't flawless but said it had come through with enough timely plays to take pressure off the pitching staff and the offense.
"Our defense isn't the greatest defense, but it keeps us in the game most of the time," Guillen said before the Sox beat the Giants 13-8. "That's why we're winning games, because we make the plays."
Third baseman Joe Crede's throwing error Sunday cost the Sox at least a force play in the eighth inning. But Crede made up for it by helping turn an inning-ending double play with the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.
In Saturday night's 3-1 win over San Francisco, right fielder Jermaine Dye made a diving catch to end the fifth inning with the heart of the Giants' order coming up. Dye's catch enabled Mark Buehrle to pitch another 12/3 innings instead of having to labor even more.
"I keep saying this: If you don't have any defense, your pitching staff isn't going to be that good," Guillen said. "If you play poor defense, your bullpen is going to be bad because sooner or later they're going to be overworked, they're going to be tired. They have to pitch every day. That's why with the offense, the more run support we give them, it's easy to make mistakes."
Shortstop Orlando Cabrera made an impressive backhanded stop Sunday to retire Aaron Rowand -- one batter before Rich Aurilia hit a home run in the second inning.
The defensive tone was set in the first game of the 10-game trip when Brian Anderson leaped near the top of the center-field fence to rob Seattle's Richie Sexson in the fourth inning after Jose Contreras was staked to a 3-0 lead.
In the case of Dye, his health is allowing him to make plays after coping with a quadriceps injury last year.
"I think it helps," Dye said. "I still have some soreness here and there, but I feel a lot better than last year."
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