Pierzynski hits key 2-run double as White Sox beat Royals 4-3 to stop slide

Pierzynski powers White Sox to big win

CHICAGO — A.J. Pierzynski hit a go-ahead, two-run double with two out in the eighth inning and the Chicago White Sox rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Friday night.

Chicago stopped a three-game slide and pulled within five games of AL Central-leading Minnesota, which lost 2-0 at Cleveland.

J.J. Putz (7-5) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to get the win and rookie Chris Sale worked the ninth for his second save.

Willie Bloomquist hit a pair of RBI doubles and Bruce Chen pitched seven solid innings to help the Royals build a 3-1 lead. Chen allowed one run — Brent Morel’s first career homer — and four hits.

The White Sox rallied against Robinson Tejeda (3-4), taking advantage when Alexei Ramirez reached on a one-out error by shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. Alex Rios followed with an RBI double to get Chicago within one.

Tejeda got Paul Konerko to pop up for the second out, but Manny Ramirez walked in his first home game with the White Sox to put runners on first and second. Pierzynski then doubled to right-center to score Rios and pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge.

Manny Ramirez went 0-3 in his first game in Chicago since he was acquired from the Dodgers and was upstaged by manager Ozzie Guillen’s ejection and argument with plate umpire Angel Hernandez after Mark Buehrle was called for his second balk in the game.

The White Sox improved to 39-27 at U.S. Cellular Field in their first game back after a 7-3 trip.

Bloomquist hit a tying double off Mark Buehrle in the fourth and another RBI double in Kansas City’s two-run sixth. Betancourt also had a two-out RBI single that made it 3-1.

Bloomquist’s first run-scoring hit was set up by the first balk call on Buehrle, who looked as if he had Brayan Pena picked off before plate umpire Angel Hernandez moved the runner to second. Jai Miller struck out but Bloomquist followed with his clutch swing.

Buehrle was called for a balk again in the fifth, and Guillen ran out of the dugout toward Hernandez. The manager picked up his sixth ejection of the season shortly after he started the argument and yelled at crew chief Joe West as he left the field.

Buehrle leads the majors with 121 pickoffs, but his move to first has been ruled a balk by West’s crew on a couple occaisions this season.

Guillen and Buehrle were tossed by West in a May 26th win at Cleveland. Guillen was kicked out after arguing the first balk call with West, then Buehrle was tossed after slamming his mitt after being called for another balk in the third.

Buehrle pitched seven innings Friday night, allowing three runs and seven hits.

NOTES: White Sox Closer Bobby Jenks was unavailable with a pinch nerve. He is day to day.