Chicago, IL (Sports Network) – Paul Konerko blasted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to give the White Sox their ninth straight win and a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves via a 2-0 final.
Gavin Floyd tossed seven superb innings of two-hit ball, fanning nine and walking one, but continued a frustrating six-start winless streak. He has worked at least six innings and limited the opposition to one run or less in each of his last four outings with nothing to show for it.
Konerko’s timely longball made a winner of J.J. Putz (3-2), who pitched a spotless eighth. Bobby Jenks did the same in the ninth to earn his 17th save for Chicago, which rolled to its 13th win in 14 tries. The club hadn’t won nine in a row since June 15-24, 2006.
Atlanta’s Derek Lowe also hurled seven scoreless frames, yielding five hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Takashi Saito (1-3) gave up the key hit in the eighth to suffer the loss for Atlanta, which last lost three straight during a season-worst nine-game slide from April 21-29.