Greinke sharp again in KC's 3-0 win over White Sox

[May 05, 2009]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Zack Greinke struck out 10 in a six-hitter and became the majors' first six-game winner with his second shutout in four starts, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 3-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.

More than 6,500 fans bought walk-up tickets -- pushing the attendance over 21,000 -- to watch Greinke pitch and he didn't disappoint.

The right-hander baffled the White Sox all night, working inside and out, up and down, slow and fast. Greinke (6-0) didn't walk a batter, dropped his ERA to 0.40 and pushed his majors-leading strikeout total to 54 during his third complete game of the season.

A.J. Pierzynski and Scott Podsednik each had two hits for the White Sox, who had just three runners reach scoring position against Greinke and couldn't overcome a shaky start from Bartolo Colon (2-2).

Greinke's streak of not allowing an earned run ended at 43 innings his last outing, when he gave up two to Toronto. He still won the game, striking out eight in seven innings, and was even better against Chicago.

Greinke started off by throwing a 72 mph curveball and a 96 mph fastball on consecutive pitches to Jayson Nix in the first inning, then blew away Alexei Ramirez in the third with a fastball below the chin, a knee-buckling curveball and two more pitches for the strikeout.

Greinke made short work of Jim Thome during Ks in the middle innings, then got Chicago's slugger to pop up for the final out, joining Brett Saberhagen (1987) and Jose Lima (2003) as the only pitchers in franchise history to win their first six decisions.

Colon wasn't nearly as efficient.

The big right-hander, who's been so good at Cellular Field, struggled again in a road start, working deep into just about every count. He threw 98 pitches -- 58 for strikes -- in five innings, allowing seven hits and three runs, two earned, with seven strikeouts. Colon hasn't allowed an earned run in 13 innings at home, but has given up 12 in 14 2-3 innings away from Chicago.

Kansas City scored the unearned run in the second inning, when Podsednik bobbled Alberto Callaspo's single in right, allowing Jose Guillen to score. Colon hurt himself in the third, leaving an 0-2 pitch in the heart of the plate to David DeJesus, who lifted a solo homer just over the wall in right. Three batters later, Billy Butler made 3-0 with a run-scoring single up the middle.

Notes: White Sox RF Jermaine Dye missed his second straight game with a bruised left hand, but could be back in the lineup Tuesday against the Royals. 3B Josh Fields could be out until Wednesday with the same injury. ... DeJesus' homer was his third.

[Associated Press; By JOHN MARSHALL]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.