Floyd helps White Sox edge Royals 3-2

[September 19, 2012]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Gavin Floyd pitched seven crisp innings, Alex Rios hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive win.

Alejandro De Aza and Gordon Beckham also went deep for AL Central-leading Chicago, which maintained a three-game advantage over Detroit and improved to 6-10 against the Royals. Chicago had lost seven of eight against Kansas City.

Floyd (10-10), who was making his second start since coming off the disabled with an elbow flexor strain, gave up two runs in the first inning and nothing after that. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out three, throwing 52 strikes in 78 pitches.

Floyd reached double-figures in victories for the fifth consecutive season.

De Aza drove Luke Hochevar's second pitch over the wall in right for his eighth homer of the season.

Hochevar (8-14), who is 1-5 in his last nine starts, allowed just one single the next four innings before Beckham led off the sixth with his 16th home run. Beckham is hitting .333 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 17 games.

Rios' 24th homer came with one out in the seventh and matched his season high. Rios also played a key role in Chicago's 5-4 win over Detroit on Monday when he broke up a potential double play with a hard slide that led to an errant throw that allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score.

Hochevar allowed seven hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked none.

Kansas City got off to a fast start when Billy Butler hit a two-run single in the first inning to give him a career-high 97 RBIs.

The Royals did not have a baserunner after Jeff Francoeur's fourth-inning double.

Matt Thornton retired all four batters he faced. Addison Reed got the final two outs for his 28th save in 32 chances.

NOTES: Royals RHP Luis Mendoza has strep throat and will miss his scheduled Wednesday start against the White Sox. LHP Bruce Chen will be moved up a day, while RHP Jeremy Guthrie will start Thursday. ... The White Sox announced LHP Francisco Liriano will start the Thursday series finale against the Royals. ... Royals LF Alex Gordon threw out A.J. Pierzynski trying to stretch a single into a double in the fifth inning. Kansas City leads the majors with 44 outfield assists.

[Associated Press]

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