White Sox win 5-4, extend Pirates' slide to 11

[June 18, 2010]  PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Mark Buehrle allowed two runs over 7 1-3 innings to become the winningest pitcher since interleague play began, and the White Sox ran the Pirates' losing streak to 11 games by holding on to win 5-4 Thursday night.

Buehrle (5-6) was in control until being pulled with the White Sox leading 5-1 in the eighth, when the Pirates scored three times against three pitchers to get to within a run.

Pedro Alvarez, the Pirates' much-awaited rookie who made his major league debut Wednesday, struck out for the third time with runners on first and third to end the comeback. Alvarez went hitless in four at-bats, also grounding into a double play after the Pirates put two on with one out while trailing 3-0 in the fourth.

With Bobby Jenks pitching the ninth inning for his 13th save in 14 opportunities, the White Sox swept the three-game series and won their seventh in eight games. Left fielder Juan Pierre made an excellent sliding catch of pinch-hitter Delwyn Young's drive down the line with one out in the ninth.

The Pirates, winless since June 5 and 2-12 this month, are stuck in their longest losing streak since a 13-game slide in 2006 and their second-longest in 55 years. The 1955 Pirates also lost 11 in a row from May 11-22.

Pittsburgh's latest loss occurred a few hours after team president Frank Coonelly revealed the club extended general manager Neal Huntington contract through 2011 and picked up manager John Russell's option for 2011 during the offseason, but didn't announced the moves until now.

Buehrle (5-6) wasn't scheduled to start against the Pirates despite his 4-0 record in five starts against them, but was moved up a night because of Jake Peavy's sore right shoulder. Facing a lineup that included three rookies called up in the last three weeks, the right-hander gave up six hits, struck out six and walked one.

Buehrle's 22 victories since interleague play began in 1997 top the 21 each by Mike Mussina and Jamie Moyer. Buehrle's 22-6 record and .786 winning percentage are easily the best of the five pitchers who have won at least 20 games against the opposing league.

Carlos Quentin, extending his offensive surge, had a pair of doubles and drove in a run against Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf (0-5), who is winless in 13 starts since Aug. 18. Ohlendorf gave up five runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings, including Quentin's RBI double during a two-run third inning and Juan Pierre's RBI triple in a two-run seventh.

Quentin boosted his average from .201 to .213 by getting four hits and driving in three during the final two games of the series.

Gordon Beckham, who began the series with a .204 average, had a sacrifice fly in the second for his fourth RBI of the series and doubled to start the seventh.

NOTES: White Sox RH Gavin Floyd will oppose Nationals rookie Stephen Strasburg on Friday. Peavy will start Saturday in Washington. ... Pirates starting pitchers have won once in 27 games since May 18. ... The Pirates didn't commit an error after having more errors (6) than hits (5) during a 7-2 loss on Wednesday. ... The White Sox hadn't swept a three-game road series in nearly a year, or since June 29-July 1 in Cleveland. ... Chicago has won 23 of its last 31 interleague games.

[Associated Press; By ALAN ROBINSON]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.