Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) – Felix Pie hit a solo homer and Jeremy Guthrie threw eight solid innings, as the Baltimore Orioles held on for a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox in the third of a four-game set at Camden Yards.
Ty Wigginton and Brian Roberts each finished with two hits and an RBI for Baltimore, which has won five of its six games under new manager Buck Showalter.
Guthrie (6-11) dazzled in winning his third game in four outings by limiting Chicago to one run on six hits. He also struck out four and walked one. Alfredo Simon earned his 17th save of the season despite giving up a two-run homer to Ramon Castro in the ninth.
Alex Rios went 2-for-3 with an RBI single for the White Sox, who had won five of seven coming in.
With Baltimore ahead 4-1, Simon replaced Guthrie for the ninth and gave up a one-out single to Alexei Ramirez before Castro cracked a two-run homer into the left field seats. The right-hander, however, settled down to retire Brent Lillibridge on a humpback liner to shortstop and Juan Pierre on a fly ball to left to preserve the victory.
Chicago stranded runners in each of the first two innings and the Orioles got on the board in the home second on Pie’s two-out homer to right.
After leaving two more runners on in the third, the White Sox managed to even things in the fifth. Omar Vizquel hustled to second on a fielder’s choice with two away and crossed the plate on Rios’ base hit to left.
Baltimore answered with two in the sixth to surge in front 3-1. Corey Patterson drew a leadoff walk and scampered home when Nick Markakis doubled to right. Wigginton followed with a two-bagger off the base of the right field wall to put the O’s up by two.
Roberts’ infield single in the seventh brought in Cesar Izturis, who doubled leading off and went to third on a passed ball.
Orioles designated hitter Luke Scott missed the game with a cold…Izturis finished 2-for-3 with a double and run scored. His single in the second inning was his 1,000th career hit…White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham left in the top of the fifth with a strained groin…The Orioles won five of nine overall meetings with the White Sox last season, including two of three tests held in Baltimore.