(Sports Network) - The White Sox were in danger of letting the Royals play spoiler yet again, but instead rebounded with a much-needed win.
Chicago will try to inch closer in the American League Central standings this evening with a sixth straight home win over the Kansas City Royals in the continuation of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field.
The White Sox have struggled at times versus the last-place Royals this year, going just 3-6 in Kansas City. However, they have won six of seven at home over the club this year, including last night's 4-3 victory.
A.J. Pierzynski hit a two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning to cap a three-run frame, helping the White Sox snap a three-game slide and move within five games of the AL Central-leading Twins, who lost to the Indians on Friday.
"Everyone knows what's going on, there are no secrets," said Pierzynski. "Every single person in this clubhouse, every single person in the stadium, everybody in major league baseball knows what the situation is; we have to try and win every game. To come from behind like that, in the eighth inning, was a huge lift for us."
Willie Bloomquist factored in all of Kansas City's runs, driving in two and scoring another, but Robinson Tejeda failed to hold a 3-1 lead as an error by Yuniesky Betancourt proceeded an RBI double from Alex Rios in the eighth. Manny Ramirez, making his home debut, later worked a walk in the frame to set up Pierzynski's heroics.
"He's a tough hitter in those situations," said Kansas City skipper Ned Yost of Chicago's catcher. "That's why they've got a good team over there because in tough situations, they clutch up. Pierzynski is one of the guys that always seems to clutch up in tough situations and he did it again tonight."
Kansas City lost its fourth straight and for the seventh time in eight games.
A pair of recent birthday boys square off this evening as Chicago's Edwin Jackson battles Kyle Davies of Kansas City.
Jackson, who along with Davies turned 27 on Thursday, is still undefeated since getting dealt from Arizona to the Windy City, but is coming off his roughest outing since the trade.
Jackson yielded four runs on nine hits over 7 1/3 innings of a no-decision in Detroit on Monday, maintaining his perfect 3-0 mark in six starts since the trade with a 2.05 earned run average.
The right-hander is 9-10 with a 4.39 ERA in 27 combined starts this season and is 3-3 with a 5.03 ERA in seven career meetings (six starts) with Royals, who he has yet to face this season.
Davies will also be facing the White Sox for the first time in 2010 and is 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA in seven starts against the club.
The right-handed Davies snapped a two-start skid on Sunday with six innings of one-run, three-hit ball versus the Tigers. Davies had yielded nine earned runs and 22 hits over his brief slide and is 7-9 this year with a 5.09 ERA in 27 starts.