CHICAGO — Paul Konerko hit a two-run homer and Tyler Flowers added his first home run in the majors to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.Konerko went deep in the third and Flowers added a solo shot in the fifth to help the White Sox snap a seven-game home losing streak. Flowers also had a single and a walk.Juan Pierre had three singles and scored two runs for Chicago.Jesse Crain (7-3) got the win in relief after pitching out of starter Jake Peavy’s jam in the seventh and his own in the eighth. Chris Sale got the last three outs, earning his fourth save.Peavy allowed four runs and nine hits over 6 2-3 innings.Luke Hochevar (8-9) took the loss, allowing eight hits and five runs in six innings. He had won four straight decisions and hadn’t lost in eight starts dating to June 21.Billy Butler stroked a two-run single for the Royals, and Johnny Giavotella added two hits and an RBI.The White Sox have won seven of last their last nine, but they had lost seven straight at U.S. Cellular Field by a combined score of 54-17.The start of the game was delayed by 1 hour, 25 minutes due to thunderstorms that moved through the Chicago area late Saturday afternoon. There was another delay of 42 minutes prior to the start of the eighth.The White Sox took the lead with a two-run seventh. Carlos Quentin drove in the tying run with an RBI double into the left-field corner. Alejandro De Aza forced in the go-ahead run with a bases loaded walk.Both runs came with Royals reliever Aaron Crow on the mound but both were charged to Hochevar, who issued a single and a walk to start the inning before being pulled.Hochevar pitched out of jams effectively for most of the game, allowing the leadoff man to reach in six of seven innings.The Royals overcame an early 2-0 deficit with a four-run rally in the fifth. Butler’s two-out, two-run single put the Royals up 4-2.Butler got his chance when White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had Melky Cabrera intentionally walked in front of him to load the bases.The White Sox cut the lead to 4-3 in the fifth on Flowers’ first homer. For Flowers, who was playing in his 25th game over the last three seasons, it was also his first career RBI.With two outs and one on in the third, Konerko hit a 1-2 fastball into the left field seats, putting the White Sox up 2-0. It was Konerko’s 27th homer and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.After the Royals fell behind 5-4, they got the first two runners on in the eighth against Crain, but Salvador Perez bounced into an inning-ending double play.NOTES: White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski (bruised left wrist) was out of the lineup Saturday and manager Ozzie Guillen said he doesn’t expect him to play today against Royals LHP Jeff Francis. … Konerko (left knee) said he is close to being able to return to playing defense. Guillen said Wednesday is the earliest he would consider putting Konerko back at first base. Konerko hasn’t played in the field since being hit by a pitch on July 31 against Boston. … Adam Dunn (personal) was not with the team Saturday and Guillen said he won’t play until Tuesday since the lefty Francis takes the hill Sunday and the team is off Monday. … The Royals and White Sox will play the finale of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon. Francis will start for Kansas City against Chicago’s John Danks. Francis has allowed just four earned runs in 12 2/3 innings in two starts against Chicago this season but has ended up with no-decisions in both outings. Danks started the season 0-8 but is 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last eight starts. The ERA is the fourth-lowest in baseball over that span. … Kansas City’s Melky Cabrera went 2 for 3. He’s hitting .400 (60 for 150) since July 2, the best average in the major leagues. … Mike Moustakas went 0 for 4 and fell to 0 for 31 against the White Sox in his first big-league season.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

CHICAGO — Even with Paul Konerko back in the lineup, the Chicago White Sox fell flat.

The punchless White Sox struggled against Ivan Nova in Konerko’s return as the New York Yankees beat the White Sox 7-2 on Thursday night, completing a four-game sweep and prolonging Chicago’s six-game slide.

“We just got killed for four games,” Konerko said. “The first game was a good game. Going back to the Boston series, the last two were tough, too.”

Konerko had two hits in four at-bats serving as designated hitter. He had missed three straight games after being hit in the leg by a pitch on Sunday against the Red Sox.

“Hitting-wise I felt not bad. I felt maybe 80 or 90 percent. Definitely, for the most part, could do what I wanted to do,” the White Sox captain said. “Running killed. I would have thought it would be the other way around. I’m glad it is what it is instead of hurting as much if it was the reverse of that. Running laterally was really painful. Just keep working to get that out, that’s all you can do.”

Konerko said he still isn’t ready to play in the field.

Ivan Nova struck out a career-high 10 to pace the Yankees, who won their seventh straight game.

“He didn’t give us much to hit,” said Adam Dunn, who homered off reliever Hector Noesi with two outs in the ninth. “He wasn’t leaving (his fastball) in the middle of the plate and he had a really good curveball and a really good slider tonight.”

With the Detroit Tigers losing, the White Sox remain 6 1/2 games off the pace in the AL Central. The White Sox head to Minnesota to face a team that has beaten them seven out of eight meetings this year.

Phil Humber (8-8) lost his fourth straight start. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and four runs.

Entering the game, the players currently on the Yankees’ roster came into the game a combined 0 for 18 lifetime against Humber. He retired the first four batters on Thursday before Cano came up in the second.

With one out, Cano lined the first pitch he saw into the bullpen in left for the first run of the game. It was Cano’s 18th homer of the season and second in as many games after he had gone 14 games without one.

“That was a good pitch, that guy’s out of this world, especially right now,” Humber said. “He’s so locked in, so balanced, the swings he took this series — pretty impressive.

“That pitch right there was on the corner, maybe an inch or two above the knees and just to flick it out of the park like that is pretty impressive. Their whole lineup right now is hot, it’s definitely a tough one to go through.”

The Yankees moved into a tie with Boston for the AL East lead. The teams begin a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night.

Russell Martin hit a three-run homer in the ninth to break open the game. He drove in four runs.

Nova (10-4) pitched 7 2/3 innings and won his sixth consecutive decision. He held Chicago to one run and six hits and didn’t walk a batter.

“That might be as good as we’ve seen him all year,” Yankees manager Joe Giradi said. “He was excellent tonight. His slider, again, made a huge difference for him.”

The White Sox have lost six straight games after getting to the .500 mark and drawing within three games of the division lead last Friday.

Chicago absorbed its first four-game sweep at home since losing four straight to Boston from Aug 23-26, 2007. The last time the White Sox were swept at home in a four-game set against New York was June 17-20, 1976.

Notes: White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Konerko would be limited to designated hitter duty for a few days. … RHP Bartolo Colon will start for the Yankees in the series opener against LHP Jon Lester. New York is 454-458 all-time at Fenway. However, the Yankees are 1-8 vs. Boston this season and have lost seven straight at Fenway. Colon lost both his starts against the Red Sox this season. … LHP Mark Buehrle gets the call for the White Sox in their opener at Minnesota in a key series for two teams scrambling to stay in the AL Central race. The Twins have won 29 of their last 36 against Chicago. … Buehrle has posted a 2.03 ERA over his last eight starts but is just 2-1 over that stretch. He has allowed three runs or less in 16 straight starts. … White Sox speedster Juan Pierre was thrown out stealing in the sixth. He’s just 16 for 29 on the basepaths this season.

CHICAGO (AP) — Even with Paul Konerko back in the lineup, the Chicago White Sox fell flat.

The punchless White Sox struggled against Ivan Nova in Konerko’s return as the New York Yankees beat the White Sox 7-2 on Thursday night, completing a four-game sweep and prolonging Chicago’s six-game slide.

“We just got killed for four games,” Konerko said. “The first game was a good game. Going back to the Boston series, the last two were tough, too.”

Konerko had two hits in four at-bats serving as designated hitter. He had missed three straight games after being hit in the leg by a pitch on Sunday against the Red Sox.

“Hitting-wise I felt not bad. I felt maybe 80 or 90 percent. Definitely, for the most part, could do what I wanted to do,” the White Sox captain said. “Running killed. I would have thought it would be the other way around. I’m glad it is what it is instead of hurting as much if it was the reverse of that. Running laterally was really painful. Just keep working to get that out, that’s all you can do.”

Konerko said he still isn’t ready to play in the field.

Ivan Nova struck out a career-high 10 to pace the Yankees, who won their seventh straight game.

“He didn’t give us much to hit,” said Adam Dunn, who homered off reliever Hector Noesi with two outs in the ninth. “He wasn’t leaving (his fastball) in the middle of the plate and he had a really good curveball and a really good slider tonight.”

With the Detroit Tigers losing, the White Sox remain 6½ games off the pace in the AL Central. The White Sox head to Minnesota to face a team that has beaten them seven out of eight meetings this year.

Phil Humber (8-8) lost his fourth straight start. He went 6 1-3 innings, allowing five hits and four runs.

Entering the game, the players currently on the Yankees’ roster came into the game a combined 0 for 18 lifetime against Humber. He retired the first four batters on Thursday before Cano came up in the second.

With one out, Cano lined the first pitch he saw into the bullpen in left for the first run of the game. It was Cano’s 18th homer of the season and second in as many games after he had gone 14 games without one.

“That was a good pitch, that guy’s out of this world, especially right now,” Humber said. “He’s so locked in, so balanced, the swings he took this series — pretty impressive.

“That pitch right there was on the corner, maybe an inch or two above the knees and just to flick it out of the park like that is pretty impressive. Their whole lineup right now is hot, it’s definitely a tough one to go through.”

The Yankees moved into a tie with Boston for the AL East lead. The teams begin a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night.

Russell Martin hit a three-run homer in the ninth to break open the game. He drove in four runs.

Nova (10-4) pitched 7 2-3 innings and won his sixth consecutive decision. He held Chicago to one run and six hits and didn’t walk a batter.

“That might be as good as we’ve seen him all year,” Yankees manager Joe Giradi said. “He was excellent tonight. His slider, again, made a huge difference for him.”

The White Sox have lost six straight games after getting to the .500 mark and drawing within three games of the division lead last Friday.

Chicago absorbed its first four-game sweep at home since losing four straight to Boston from Aug 23-26, 2007. The last time the White Sox were swept at home in a four-game set against New York was June 17-20, 1976.

Notes: White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Konerko would be limited to designated hitter duty for a few days. … RHP Bartolo Colon will start for the Yankees in the series opener against LHP Jon Lester. New York is 454-458 all-time at Fenway. However, the Yankees are 1-8 vs. Boston this season and have lost seven straight at Fenway. Colon lost both his starts against the Red Sox this season. … LHP Mark Buehrle gets the call for the White Sox in their opener at Minnesota in a key series for two teams scrambling to stay in the AL Central race. The Twins have won 29 of their last 36 against Chicago. … Buehrle has posted a 2.03 ERA over his last eight starts but is just 2-1 over that stretch. He has allowed three runs or less in 16 straight starts. … White Sox speedster Juan Pierre was thrown out stealing in the sixth. He’s just 16 for 29 on the basepaths this season.

CHICAGO (AP)—Ivan Nova(notes) did his part. Now the onus is on New York Yankees
manager Joe Girardi.

Nova struck out a career-high 10 and the Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox
7-2 on Thursday night, completing a four-game sweep and winning their seventh in
a row overall.

“That might be as good as we’ve seen him all year,” Girardi said. “This
start and Cincinnati. He was excellent tonight. His slider, again, made a huge
difference for him.”

The Yankees moved into a tie with Boston for the AL East lead. The teams
begin a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday night.

Nova (10-4) pitched 7 2-3 innings and won his sixth consecutive decision. He
held Chicago to one run and six hits and didn’t walk a batter. His approach was
simple.

“Be aggressive, try to get ahead of the hitter,” Nova said. “Slider today
was unbelievable. Command was there. Everything was working good.”

The Yankees are using a six-man starting staff on their current turn through
the rotation and it’s been assumed that the rookie Nova would be the odd man
out, especially after Phil Hughes(notes) threw six shutout innings on Tuesday.

“I don’t know,” Girardi said. “We’ll continue to talk about it. We’ve got
a good problem. We’ve got a lot of people throwing the ball well and I’d like to
keep it that way.”

Girardi already announced that Hughes would start for New York on Tuesday
against the Angels. In light of Nova’s performance, he’s not sure what’s next.

“I don’t have an answer for that yet,” Girardi said. “We don’t have to
rush and make a decision what we’re going to do. Eventually we’ll have to.”

Nova has a 2.92 ERA over his last eight starts. He’s already been sent to
Triple-A once this season despite his lofty totals. He insists he’ll be ready no
matter where his next start comes.

“Again in five days,” Nova said. “Have a game in five days, no matter if
it’s here or anywhere else.

“I’m happy right now because I won today. I’m not frustrated. I’ll keep
waiting and hopefully I’ll stay here.”

Russell Martin(notes) hit a three-run homer in the ninth to break open the game and
send Chicago to its sixth straight loss. He drove in four runs.

Robinson Cano(notes) homered, singled, walked and scored a pair of runs as the
Yankees won their sixth straight over Chicago, a streak during which they’ve
outscored the White Sox 49-14.

“That was a good pitch, that guy’s out of this world, especially right
now,” said White Sox starter Phil Humber. “He’s so locked in, so balanced, the
swings he took this series, pretty impressive.

“That pitch right there was on the corner, maybe an inch or two above the
knees and just to flick it out of the park like that is pretty impressive. Their
whole lineup right now is hot, it’s definitely a tough one to go through.”

The White Sox have lost six straight games after getting to the .500 mark
and drawing within three games of the lead in the AL Central last Friday.

Chicago absorbed its first four-game sweep at home since dropping four in a
row to Boston from Aug 23-26, 2007. The last time the White Sox were swept at
home in a four-game set against New York was June 17-20, 1976.

“We just run into a pretty hot ballclub and we not playing well against
them,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Paul Konerko(notes) had two singles for a quiet White Sox offense in his first
start since Sunday. He missed the three previous games with bruised left leg.

“Hitting-wise I felt not bad,” Konerko said. “I felt maybe 80 or 90
percent. Definitely, for the most part, could do what I wanted to do.”

Adam Dunn(notes) homered in the ninth, a possible good sign for the struggling
slugger, though it came with his club six runs down.

“Yeah, I mean they feel good, it’s just meaningless,” Dunn said.
“Personally it felt good, but it meant nothing, had no impact on the game.”

Humber (8-8) lost his fourth straight start. He went 6 1-3 innings, allowing
five hits and four runs.

Entering the game, the players currently on the Yankees’ were a combined 0
for 18 lifetime against Humber. He retired the first four batters on Thursday
before Cano came up in the second.

With one out in the inning, Cano lined the first pitch he saw from Humber
into the left-field bullpen for the first run of the game. It was Cano’s 18th
homer of the season and second in as many games after he’d gone 14 games without
a longball.

Nova had good stuff early, retiring the first seven White Sox in order, the
last three on strikeouts.

The streak was broken when Alejandro De Aza(notes) beat out an infield grounder to
shortstop Derek Jeter(notes). That gave De Aza, who was 4 for 4 in Wednesday’s 18-7
loss to New York, five straight hits.

De Aza then stole second, went to third on Brent Morel’s(notes) single to right and
scored on Juan Pierre’s(notes) sacrifice fly for a 1-all tie.

The Yankees regained the lead in the sixth thanks to the speed of Brett
Gardner(notes), who started the inning with a double to right and went to third on
Jeter’s sacrifice bunt.

Curtis Granderson(notes) hit a hard grounder to Dunn at first base and Gardner
broke for the plate. Dunn stepped on the bag to retire Granderson and threw
home, but Gardner slid home safely just ahead of the tag by catcher A.J.
Pierzynski(notes).

“I thought after Robbie’s home run, we manufactured runs well,” Girardi
said. “Gardy starts with a double, Chief moves him over. Great baserunning by
Gardy, the speed to score. I thought we manufactured well tonight.”

Humber seemed to tire in the Yankees’ two-run seventh. Cano led off with a
single, Nick Swisher(notes) walked and Jorge Posada(notes) hit an RBI single for a 3-1 lead.

That was it for Humber, who was replaced by Jesse Crain(notes) after throwing 94
pitches. Swisher scored on Martin’s sacrifice fly to deep center.

Next up is the Yankees’ biggest rival, Boston, in a park New York has
struggled in this season. Girardi says it’s gratifying to enter the series in a
dead heat.

“I think it says that we’ve been playing well,” Girardi said. “We’ve been
chasing them for awhile now. It just says a lot about this club and what we’ve
been through. We’ve overcome some things. It is significant.”

NOTES: Konerko had been out since being hit in the left knee by a pitch
against Boston last Sunday. Manager Ozzie Guillen said Konerko would be limited
to designated hitter duty for a few days. Bartolo Colon(notes) will start for the
Yankees in the series opener against Jon Lester(notes). New York is 454-458 all-time at
Fenway. However, the Yankees are 1-8 vs. Boston this season and have lost seven
straight at Fenway. Colon has lost both of his starts against the Red Sox this
season, once each at Boston and New York. Mark Buehrle(notes) gets the call for the
White Sox in their opener at Minnesota in a key series for two teams scrambling
to stay in the AL Central race. The Twins have beaten the White Sox in seven of
eight meetings this season and have won 29 of their last 36 against Chicago.
Buehrle has posted a 2.03 ERA over his last eight starts but is just 2-1 over
that stretch. He’s allowed three runs or less in 16 straight starts. … White
Sox speedster Juan Pierre was thrown out stealing in the sixth. He’s just 16 for
29 on the basepaths this season.

Ozzie Guillen knew Paul Konerko was in pain just from the look on his best player’s face.

When Konerko got plunked in the calf by a pitch from Andrew Miller in the fourth inning of Sunday’s game against the Red Sox, everything seemed to crumble for the White Sox.  

They couldn’t score after loading the bases, they ended up leaving 12 runners on base, they lost Konerko for the final five innings — and maybe for Monday night’s opener of a four-game series against the Yankees — and they lost the game to Boston 5-3.  

Konerko actually stayed in the game and took his base, but had to leave after the inning ended with the bases loaded. The White Sox had taken a 3-2 lead in the inning on Alexei Ramirez’s RBI single but didn’t score again.  

“I don’t expect him to be in the lineup to be honest with you. When PK took himself out of the game, it’s not a concern but I know that guy was hurt,” Guillen said.

“When I went to the plate, I’ve managed him for a little while, I knew this guy can tolerate some pain and tough it out. When I got back to the dugout, I told JP (Juan Pierre) to get loose because I don’t think he’s going to make it.”

Pierre did come in and play left and Brent Lillibridge switched from left to first where he made his first major league appearance at the position.  

“We’ve got two lineups tomorrow just in case he can’t play,” Guillen said of Konerko, batting .305 with 25 homers and 76 RBIs. The White Sox, who trail Detroit by four games in the AL Central, are facing Yankees ace CC Sabathia.  

Earlier in the week, the White Sox dealt away starter Edwin Jackson and backup infielder Mark Teahen but did not make another deal at the deadline. Now they’re 52-54 and must somehow get it together with two months left.  

“I would never have guessed we would have been in this spot that we’re in right now,” said starter Mark Buehrle who allowed five hits and two runs in six innings and left with a 3-2 lead.  

“I can’t see the future. I thought going into spring training we had a good team and a good chance, but obviously we’re not in a good spot right now.”

After getting 10 hits and three runs off Miller in his 5 2-3 innings, the White Sox were shut out by Boston’s bullpen that used three relievers, Alfredo Aceves, Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon.  

“When you don’t score runs in the American League, it’s going to be hard to win games,” Guillen said. “The pitchers can take you so far.”

Ramirez’s RBI single, Chicago’s third hit of the inning, gave the White Sox a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Miller then hit Konerko in the left calf with a pitch to load the bases. Konerko stayed down for a couple of seconds and then was able to walk it off and stay in the game. And the White Sox couldn’t keep their rally going.

“You get to the point when you might snap. We’ve got two months, a month and half, hopefully our offense will pick it up from now on and make it easier for the pitching staff,” Guillen said. “And for me.”

Jason Varitek hit a two-out, two-run homer in the second inning to give Miller a quick lead.

But Chicago got one back in the second on Brent Morel’s two-out RBI double over center fielder Ellsbury’s head and another in the third when Carlos Quentin, Adam Dunn and Alex Rios hit two-out consecutive singles.

NOTES: The White Sox honored former slugger Frank Thomas by unveiling a statue of the two-time MVP on the outfield concourse. … Bard has not allowed a run in his past 26 1-3 innings. … The White Sox inserted DH Dunn into the lineup at first in the ninth.

CBSSports.com wire reports
June 10, 2011

CHICAGO — One strike from their 11th consecutive loss, the Oakland Athletics showed interim manager Bob Melvin the desire to win is still there.

Scott Sizemore hit a go-ahead three-run double to rally the Oakland Athletics past the Chicago White Sox 7-5 Friday night.

“Until you make that last out and that last strike, you’re still alive,” Melvin said. “During streaks like that, you go down easy at the end and tonight that just wasn’t the case. That’s always a sign that you’re going to come out of it.”

The A’s won their first game under Melvin. Oakland made the majors’ first managerial change of 2011 by firing Bob Geren after four-plus seasons Thursday and replacing him with Melvin.

“Did you see everybody up on the railing?” Melvin asked. “They did that on their own. I noticed at the beginning of the inning, everybody that who was at the back of the bench came up to the top rail because everybody had a good feeling about the way we were playing tonight. I know it came down to one pitch and we were one pitch away from losing, but everybody was encouraging their teammates.”

Trailing 5-3 in the ninth, White Sox closer Sergio Santos (2-3) retired the first two batters and had Josh Willingham in an 0-2 count before walking him. Hideki Matsui followed with an RBI single to cut the White Sox lead to a run. Santos then walked Daric Barton and hit Kurt Suzuki with a breaking ball to load the bases. Sizemore then split the left-center gap to give the Athletics a 7-5 lead.

“Santos throws hard, so if you’re not ready for the fastball he’ll blow you away,” said Sizemore, who was playing in just his third game with the A’s since being acquired from Detroit on May 27.

“It was a great feeling to help the team get a win,” Sizemore added. “Just felt really good to contribute.”

Santos allowed three runs in Wednesday’s loss to the Mariners.

“This one hurt, I will be honest with you,” said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. “[Santos] just lost it. He tried to be too aggressive.”

Santos has allowed runs in just three of his 25 appearances this year, but has been tagged for three or more runs in all three instances.

“It’s baseball, I wish I could get the job done every time but that’s not possible so I have to be ready for tomorrow, whenever they call on me, whatever the situation is I will be ready to go out there and do my job,” he said.

Grant Balfour (4-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the victory and Andrew Bailey pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.

Paul Konerko hit a two-run homer and A.J. Pierzynski had three hits for the White Sox, who failed to gain ground in the AL Central despite Cleveland and Detroit both losing.

The A’s had had 13 hits in avoiding losing 11 straight for the first time since a 12-game slide April 19-30, 1994. Oakland came into the game batting .219 (75 for 343) during the 10-game losing streak.

Cliff Pennington and Sizemore led the A’s with three hits.

White Sox starter Edwin Jackson pitched six innings and allowed two runs on eight hits.

Graham Godfrey made his major league debut with Brett Anderson sidelined by elbow soreness. Godfrey allowed five runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings.

“I thought he battled pretty well,” Melvin said. “Two-out walks will kill you. You saw him get out of sorts a little bit, then bring it back.”

Godfrey was 7-1 with a 2.50 ERA for Sacramento. The 26-year old right-hander started one game for Double-A Midland before being promoted to Sacramento.

“In the middle of my outing, I was attacking hitters and getting ahead. That’s what made me more successful,” Godfrey said. “I definitely got a lot of positives to work off of.”

Trailing 1-0 in the first inning, Carlos Quentin drew a two-out walk, then Konerko followed with his 16th home run and second in as many days to put Chicago ahead. It was Konerko’s ninth straight game with an extra-base hit, setting a franchise record.

The White Sox left the bases loaded after Godfrey struck out Gordon Beckham.

Konerko is 20-42 with six doubles, six home runs and 14 RBI during his 11-game hitting streak, raising his average from .287 to .321. He has hit six home runs in his last nine games.

Jemile Weeks led off the third with a triple. Center fielder Alex Rios had a bad read on the ball and initially turned in the wrong direction as the ball went over his head. Weeks later scored on Pennington’s infield single to tie the score at two.

The White Sox got the lead back for Jackson in the fifth. Alexei Ramirez led off with a double, then Quentin followed a slow bouncer to third baseman Sizemore. Sizemore made an off-balanced throw to first which got away from Barton. Ramirez ended up scoring on the throwing error.

Godfrey was chased after giving up a single to Pierzynski. Quentin hustled into third on the hit to right and Pierzynski took second on the throw. Quentin ended up scoring on Rios’ groundout and Adam Dunn drove in Pierzynski on a single to give the White Sox a 5-2 lead.

With one out in the first, Pennington doubled down the left-field line. One out later, Pennington scored on Willingham’s single.

Coco Crisp scored on pinch-hitter Conor Jackson’s groundout in the seventh.

Notes

• Konerko previously shared the consecutive extra-base hit streak with Al Simmons, who set it in 1935.
• Rios and Dunn drove in a run in the same game this season for the third time this season.
• Quentin extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
• Pennington has four hits in eight at-bats in the No. 2 hole since Melvin moved him there from hitting ninth, a move Melvin called “an easy decision.”