White Sox rally for 2nd straight win over Royals

[July 10, 2008]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Carlos Quentin hit a pair of two-run homers and the Chicago White Sox fought back from a five-run deficit to score the go-ahead run on an eighth-inning balk in a 7-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Quentin, voted onto the AL All-Star team, hit his 20th home run in the fourth inning off Royals starter Brian Bannister to begin the rally. Quentin added a second homer off Bannister in the sixth, helping send the White Sox to their 11th win in 13 games.

Adam Russell (3-0) got one out for the win, and Octavio Dotel struck out the side in the ninth for his first save in three opportunities for the AL Central leaders.

Trailing 6-5, the White Sox caught up and went ahead in the eighth after Orlando Cabrera walked leading off against reliever Robinson Tejeda.

Cabrera stole second and third, and after Tejeda walked Quentin, Jim Thome's single tied the game. Plate umpire Dan Iassogna called a balk on Ramon Ramirez moments later, allowing Quentin to score the go-ahead run.

Tejeda (0-2) lost for the second night in a row, this time without giving up a hit.

Bannister walked Cabrera leading off the game, got the next batter to ground into a double play, then did not allow another baserunner until Nick Swisher doubled with one out in the fourth and the Royals already ahead 5-0.

Quentin then hit his first homer, and Bannister retired six straight until Swisher walked with one out in the sixth. He rode home on Quentin's second shot, a 398-foot drive on a 1-1 pitch that brought the White Sox to within 6-4.

Alexei Ramirez chased Bannister with an RBI double with two out in the seventh, after Thome walked leading off.

Alex Gordon singled home a run in the first for Kansas City, and a second run scored when Jose Guillen bounced into a double play.

After John Buck's sacrifice fly against White Sox starter Javier Vasquez made it 3-0 in the second, the Royals handed Bannister a 5-0 lead with a two-out spurt in the third.

Guillen singled, went to third on Mark Grudzielanek's double, and Ross Gload brought them both home with a single to left. Quentin's throw to the plate sailed wide, drawing an error that put Gload at second, but Billy Butler popped out to end the inning.

Buck added a solo home run in the fourth off Vasquez, putting the Royals on top 6-2.

[Associated Press; By DOUG TUCKER]

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