Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Gavin Floyd pitched seven strong innings and Gordon Beckham hit a three-run homer, as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 7-5, in the opener of a three-game series.
Floyd (9-10) allowed two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts for the White Sox, who are 3-2 since a four-game skid and moved within 3 1/2 games of first- place Minnesota in the AL Central race. The Twins lost to Texas on Tuesday.
"He threw the ball very well -- he did a great job staying on the corners," said Baltimore's Ty Wigginton of Floyd.
Felix Pie finished 3-for-4 while Luke Scott homered for Baltimore, which has lost five of its last seven games overall.
Jeremy Guthrie (7-13) suffered the loss after he allowed six runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings of work.
Chicago took the lead in the seventh. With the score tied 2-2, A.J. Pierzynski hit a leadoff single and moved to third on Mark Teahen's one-out double. That brought Beckham to the plate and he ripped his eighth homer of the year over the wall in center field. Later in the seventh, Paul Konerko's RBI single made it 6-2.
"Anytime you can hit a home run is always nice, and to get the lead at that point was big for us," said Beckham.
Chicago's final run was scored in the eighth when Juan Pierre's base hit scored Pierzynski.
Chris Sale pitched a scoreless top of the eighth and Sergio Santos came on for the ninth. Santos yielded a leadoff walk to Cesar Izturis, who then moved to second on defensive indifference before Josh Bell's single put runners on the corners.
Brian Roberts then singled to left, which scored Izturis. Both runners advanced one base when Santos uncorked a wild pitch. The next batter, Nick Markakis singled home Bell and Bobby Jenks came onto the mound with runners on the corners and no outs and a 3-0 count on Wigginton when J.J. Putz left with an arm injury.
Jenks induced a double play off the bat of Wigginton, and although Roberts scored on the play and drew the visitors within 7-5, Scott flied out to center field to end the game.
Jenks notched his 24th save of the campaign.
Scott led off the fourth inning with his 25th home run. Adam Jones was then hit by a pitch before Pie singled to put runners on the corners. When Matt Wieters grounded out, Jones crossed the plate for a 2-0 lead.
In the home portion of the fourth, Chicago cut its deficit in half. Alex Rios led off with a single, moved to third on a base hit by Konerko and scored when Carlos Quentin grounded into a double play.
The Sox knotted the contest in the fifth via Pierre's sacrifice fly. Alexei Ramirez hit a leadoff double, headed for third on a wild pitch and scored when Ramirez flied out to right field.
Jones left the game when he was hit by the pitch and was replaced by Corey Patterson...The ChiSox outhit the O's, 14-11...Konerko has 87 RBI this season...Guthrie fell to 3-4 (eight starts) for his career against Chicago...Pie had two outfield assists.