CHICAGO — It was the recipe for success the Chicago White Sox are banking on this season.
They got another good start on the mound against the Kansas City Royals, this time from Jake Peavy, and launched four home runs to win 5-2 Wednesday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field. The Sox also got another strong performance out of their bullpen, just as they did in Monday’s 1-0 win against the Royals on Opening Day.
Jake Peavy (1-0) went six strong innings, allowing two runs (one earned) while striking out six. Peavy got run support from the long ball.
Tyler Flowers, who homered for the only run in Monday’s game, clubbed another one Tuesday off Royals starter Ervin Santana, who took the loss after allowing three of four Sox home runs and four runs total in six innings.
Adam Dunn also hit his first homer of the year in the second inning, and Dayan Viciedo gave Chicago a three-run lead in the fourth with a two-run home run off Santana.
Alexei Ramirez provided an insurance run with a seventh-inning homer.
The Royals scored single runs in the third and sixth innings, but they couldn’t turn a bases-loaded situation in the seventh into a rally. In fact, three Sox relievers got out of the jam without allowing a run, and the rest of the bullpen finished off the eighth and ninth with little problem.
Matt Thornton and Matt Lindstrom combined for a scoreless eighth, while Sox closer Addison Reed picked up his second straight save without allowing a baserunner.
NOTES: The White Sox play 14 of their next 25 games at U.S. Cellular Field. … Peavy came into the game 0-6 with a 5.56 ERA in his previous seven starts against the Royals. … Chicago re-acquired 1B Lars Anderson from the Blue Jays on Monday for cash considerations and assigned him to Triple-A Charlotte. … Paul Konerko’s double in the sixth inning tied him with Frank Thomas for third in White Sox history with 2,136 hits. … Miguel Tejada got his first plate appearance as a Royal in the seventh when he pinch-hit for Chris Getz with runners on first and third. Tejada drew a walk against Donnie Veal to load the bases. … According to Nielsen Media Research and Fox Sports, Monday’s Opening Day telecast pulled in a 4.7 household rating in the Kansas City market, which was 203 percent higher than the last time the Royals opened on the road (1.6 on April 7, 2009 in Chicago).