Dunn hits 34th HR as White Sox beat Blue Jays 9-5
TORONTO — Adam Dunn hit his major league-leading 34th home run, Dayan Viciedo and Dewayne Wise also connected and the White Sox beat the Blue Jays 9-5 on Wednesday night, posting consecutive victories in Toronto for the first time in six years.
Gavin Floyd pitched six innings to snap a three-start winless streak as the White Sox won back-to-back games north of the border for the first time since Aug. 4-5, 2006. Chicago came in having lost 16 of its previous 20 games at Rogers Centre.
Kelly Johnson hit a three-run homer and Jeff Mathis hit a solo shot for the Blue Jays, who have lost seven of nine and 13 of 17.
Floyd (9-9) came in 0-3 with an 8.25 ERA in three career games at Toronto, but turned that around by allowing three earned runs and eight hits. He walked none and struck out eight, one shy of a season-high.
Donnie Veal worked two innings and Philip Humber finished for Chicago, giving up Mathis’ 7th homer of the season.
A.J. Pierzynski singled to begin the second inning, extending his hitting streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the major leagues. Alexei Ramirez and Viciedo followed with singles to load the bases for Wise, who hit a sinking liner down the left field line. Making just his third appearance of the season in the outfield, Edwin Encarnacion dived for the ball but dropped it as he hit the ground in foul territory, giving Wise a two-run single.
Wise doubled Chicago’s lead with a two-run blast to right in the fourth, his fourth, matching a career-high with four RBIs.
Toronto’s Omar Vizquel had two hits, including a leadoff single in the fourth that was the 2,866th of his career, tying him with former White Sox slugger and current first base coach Harold Baines for 43rd on the career list.
After moving to second on Anthony Gose’s single, Vizquel stole third and scored when Kevin Youkilis failed to cover the bag, trotting home after Pierzynki’s throw hit him and bounced into foul territory.
The Blue Jays tied it in the sixth when Encarnacion singled, David Cooper doubled and Johnson hit a one-out homer to right, his 14th.
Chicago wasted no time in reclaiming the lead. Ricky Romero left after walking Alejandro de Aza and hitting Youkilis with a pitch to open the seventh. Dunn broke the tie by crushing reliever Brad Lincoln’s third pitch into the second deck in right.
Before the inning was over, the White Sox widened their lead when Pierzynski doubled and scored on a two-out homer by Viciedo, his 18th.
Romero (8-10) allowed six runs and eight hits in six-plus innings. The left-hander has not won since June 22 at Miami, a span of 10 starts, going 0-9 in that time.
Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Friday, when he left with tightness in his right groin. Rasmus, who collected a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 loss, started as designated hitter. He went 0 for 5 with four strikeouts.
Making a rare start in place of regular second baseman Gordon Beckham, Orlando Hudson had to leave the game after fouling a ball of his left foot in the sixth. Beckham came on to finish the at-bat and remained in the game. Hudson bruised a big toe. X-rays were negative and he will be re-evaluated Thursday.
NOTES: White Sox 1B Paul Konerko (concussion) hit in the cage and played catch Wednesday, and remains on track to come off the 7-day DL on Friday. ... Blue Jays C J.P. Arencibia (fractured right hand) had his cast removed Wednesday and is now in a soft cast. He’s due to resume swinging after a week of strengthening activities. ... Toronto RHP Jason Frasor (forearm) is throwing from 120 feet on flat ground and is scheduled to throw off the mound next week. ... Blue Jays 1B Adam Lind (back) continues to feel soreness after swinging. Lind has been out since July 26.