White Sox 5, Royals 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Dayan Viciedo hit a grand slam and Andre Rienzo became the first Brazilian-born pitcher to pick up a win in the majors as the Chicago White Sox topped the Kansas City Royals 5-2 Wednesday night.
The last-place White Sox have won a season-high five straight, all on the road. The Royals lost for the seventh time in nine games, putting a damper on their playoff aspirations. They fell 9 1/2 games behind first-place Detroit.
The Royals have scored 18 runs and hit .118 with runners in scoring position in the nine-game slide.
Vicideo's second career grand slam was the exclamation point of a five-run fourth inning.
Rienzo (1-0), a 25-year-old rookie right-hander who was born in San Paulo, Brazil, gave up two runs on five hits in six innings to earn the victory.
Relievers Donnie Veal, Matt Lindstrom, Nate Jones and Addison Reed, who logged his 33rd save, limited the Royals to one single over the final three innings to preserve Rienzo's victory.
Jeremy Guthrie (12-10) lost his third straight start, giving up nine hits and five runs in six innings.
Viciedo, who was hitting .111 in his previous 10 games, hit a grand slam in the White Sox's five-run fourth inning.
Alexei Ramirez lined his career-high 33rd double to left to start the fourth and scored on Adam Dunn's single. Ramirez has five doubles and 10 runs in the past 17 games.
Paul Konerko and Conor Gillaspie singled to load the bases before Viciedo drove a Guthrie pitch over the left-center fence for his 11th home run and second career grand slam. His other slam was Oct. 1, 2012, at Cleveland. Viciedo entered the game with one hit in 13 at-bats, a .077 average, against Guthrie.
The Royals, who were shut out Tuesday, got a run back in the bottom of the fourth. Mike Moustakas' sacrifice fly to left scored Billy Butler, who led off the inning with a single.
The Royals trimmed the White Sox's lead to 5-2 in the sixth when David Lough's two-out single scored Alex Gordon.
NOTES: Moustakas, who had played in just one game since straining his left calf on Aug. 12, started and went 0-for-2 with a walk. Manager Ned Yost said he is about 80-85 percent. ... Rienzo and Yan Gomes of the Indians are the only Brazilian born players in the major league history. ... Royals 2B Chris Getz batted leadoff for just the ninth time this season. He went 0-for-5.
