Buehrle baffles Royals, White Sox win 6th straight

[July 10, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Mark Buehrle pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning and A.J. Pierzynski hit two home runs Friday night, sending the Chicago White Sox to their sixth straight victory, 8-2 over the Kansas City Royals.

Buehrle took a line drive off his right (non-throwing) wrist on Scott Podsednik's leadoff single in the first, but was not seriously injured. The left-hander allowed six hits in seven-plus innings and was replaced by Sergio Santos after walking David DeJesus to start the eighth.

Buehrle (8-7) is 5-1 in his last six starts as Chicago's pitching continues to be a major reason for the team's recent tear -- 23 wins in 28 games.

His performance followed a two-hit shutout by John Danks against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. The White Sox (47-38) are a season-high nine games over .500 and remained a half-game behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central.

Kansas City had its three-game winning streak snapped and lost for the third time in 11 games. The Royals were coming off a sweep of the Mariners in Seattle.

Pierzynski had a solo homer in the fourth and a three-run shot in the eighth, giving him six homers this season.

Yuniesky Betancourt hit a two-run homer in the ninth for Kansas City off Jeffrey Marquez.

Paul Konerko and Carlos Quentin began the second with singles and, after Pierzynski sacrificed, Andrew Jones -- in a 2-for-23 slump -- hit a two-run single off the left-field fence.

Pierzynski's first homer finished Kansas City starter Bruce Chen (5-3) after just 3 1-3 innings. He gave up six hits and three runs.

Gordon Beckham had a leadoff double in the fifth off reliever Kanekoa Texeira, Juan Pierre followed with a bunt single and Beckham scored on Alexei Ramirez's double-play grounder to make it 4-0.

Konerko hit a two-out RBI double in the eighth off Victor Marte. After a walk to Quentin, Pierzynski connected again.

NOTES: Buehrle is 21-11 against the Royals and 1-2 this season. ... Royals OF Jose Guillen, who strained a quadriceps muscle Tuesday, was out of the lineup. He could play Saturday. ... Jones, who entered batting just .193, went 3 for 4.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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