Beckham drives in 3 as White Sox beat Pirates 6-4

[June 16, 2010]  PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Gordon Beckham drove in three runs and the Chicago White Sox spoiled former first-round draft pick Brad Lincoln's first start at home, beating Pittsburgh 6-4 Tuesday night.

Ramon Castro doubled in a run while reaching base four consecutive times and the White Sox put aside the recent feud between general manager Kenny Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen to win their fifth in six games.

Williams is making his first road trip of the season, and Guillen said the two -- who often disagree over personnel matters and other issues -- had a constructive talk during the flight to Pittsburgh.

The Pirates, losers of 10 of 11 and 15 of 18, have enough problems of their own while stuck in their longest losing streak since they also dropped nine straight from Aug. 28-Sept. 5.

Andrew McCutchen matched his career high with three stolen bases while getting three hits and a walk for Pittsburgh. Ahead 5-4, Chicago was so preoccupied with McCutchen after he singled in the seventh, reliever Matt Thornton made 14 pickoff throws to first in a span of two batters to try to prevent him from stealing second -- which McCutchen eventually did.

Lincoln (0-1) followed up a 7-5 Pirates loss to Washington in his major league debut on Wednesday by again allowing five runs in six innings. The Pirates' top pick in 2006 twice walked the leadoff batter, with the runner scoring each time, while walking three overall, hitting two batters and allowing six hits.

White Sox starter Freddy Garcia (7-3) was only slightly more effective -- he gave up eight hits and four runs in 5 2-3 innings -- but won his fourth in a run when Beckham singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth.

Castro's double preceded the light-hitting Beckham's RBI grounder that tied it at 2 in the second. Beckham, who came in batting .204, followed Castro's leadoff walk with a run-scoring double in fourth and scored on Juan Pierre's perfectly executed suicide squeeze bunt to make it 4-2.

The White Sox bullpen pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings, with Bobby Jenks finishing up in the ninth for his 12th save in 13 opportunities despite giving up McCutchen's third hit in as many at-bats. Alex Rios' run-scoring single gave Chicago an insurance run in the top of the ninth after reliever Octavio Dotel walked Juan Pierre, then threw wildly for a two-base error on a pickoff attempt.

The Pirates tied it in the fifth after McCutchen singled in a run before stealing second and third on successive pitches and coming home on Ryan Doumit's two-out single. NOTES: Former White Sox reliever D.J. Carrasco struck out three during two scoreless relief innings. ... Steelers coach Mike Tomlin attended, wearing a Pirates jersey. ... The White Sox are 5-2 in interleague play, the Pirates are 0-4. ... Garcia hadn't faced the Pirates since 2006, but is 3-0 against them in as many starts.

[Associated Press; By ALAN ROBINSON]

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