Alvarez cranks out two homers in Orioles' 7-5 win

[August 06, 2016]  CHICAGO -- Pedro Alvarez's hot streak continued Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field, where he hit two more home runs to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-5 win to start a series against the Chicago White Sox.

Alvarez, the Orioles' designated hitter, went 2-for-5 and clubbed solo homers in the second and eighth innings. It was the second two-homer performance in the past three games for Alvarez, who has hit five home runs in the past three games and six in the past five, bringing his season total to 18.

Manny Machado and Adam Jones also had big nights for the Orioles (62-46), who totaled 16 hits and overcame four errors to remain percentage points ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays in a virtual tie for first in the American League East.

Machado went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, and Jones was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Shortstop J.J. Hardy also finished 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Baltimore's Yovani Gallardo (4-3) started and allowed two runs in six innings to claim the victory. Former Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez (2-6) started and took the loss for the White Sox (52-57).

Jose Abreu went 3-for-4 with a home run and Avisail Garcia went 1-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Chicago, which fell to 3-7 in its last 10 games.

Leading 4-2 to start the eighth, the Orioles rang up five more hits to pad their lead with three runs charged to right-hander Tommy Kahnle. Alvarez clubbed hit second homer of the game and the other two runs were driven in by Hardy and Jones with RBI singles.

Chicago cut it to 7-5 with three runs in the bottom of the eighth, all charged to Darren O'Day, but couldn't draw any closer. An inning-ending double play helped the Orioles escape, after Dioner Navarro was nabbed at third rounding the base too far on Adam Eaton's groundout to first.

The White Sox called for a video review, but the ruling was upheld after three minutes.

Orioles closer Zach Britton pitched the ninth for his 34th save of the season, but not before another controversial call on the game's final out. Justin Morneau appeared to foul a ball off his front foot on a ground ball with two outs and Abreu on second, but the ball rolled to first and was ruled a groundout to end the game.

The Orioles scored first on a solo homer to center field by Alvarez, which was his fifth homer in the past five games and fourth in the past three. Baltimore tacked on three runs in the third against Gonzalez on four hits and an error, with Machado's two-run double highlighting the rally.

White Sox starting pitcher Miguel Gonzalez (58) throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at U.S. Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The White Sox cut it to 4-2 off Gallardo in the fourth on Abreu's solo homer to center, his second in as many games after going 32 games without one, and Garcia's RBI double.

Chicago threatened in the fifth against Gallardo, getting two singles, but Morneau struck out to end the inning.

NOTES: White Sox rookie SS Tim Anderson didn't play and is day to day after being struck on the left hand with a pitch Thursday in Detroit. ... Chicago had two players undergo surgery Friday. Rookie OF Charlie Tilson, who will miss the rest of the season, had surgery to repair a torn hamstring; RHP Zach Putnam had a bone fragment removed from his throwing elbow and is rehabbing in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... Orioles LHP Wade Miley, who took a line drive off his left calf Thursday against the Texas Rangers, isn't expected to miss a turn in the rotation. ... Baltimore LHP T.J. McFarland (left knee) will begin his minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday. ... Orioles OF Joey Rickard (thumb) is still wearing a splint, but reported to Class A Sarasota to begin rehab work. ... RHP Hunter Harvey, one of the Orioles' top prospects, will report to Sarasota to begin his rehab after undergoing Tommy John surgery on July 26. ... Another of Baltimore's top pitching prospects, LHP Chris Lee (left lat strain), is scheduled to begin light throwing Saturday at Double-A Bowie.

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