Chicago, IL – Adam Dunn crushed a two-run homer and Conor Gillaspie added a solo blast as the Chicago White Sox ended their skid with a 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at U.S. Cellular Field.
Gordon Beckham went 3-for-4 with an RBI behind John Danks (2-5), who limited the O's to two runs on six hits over seven-plus frames.
"We know how good we are," Danks said. "We know we got a [tough] road ahead of us. We did it to ourselves. But we know how capable we are of going on a run. We just hope we're able to do it, starting now."
Chicago had dropped five in a row coming into the opener of this three-game series and was facing a Baltimore team riding high from a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees over the weekend.
But Jason Hammel (7-5) couldn't pitch the club to a fifth straight win after surrendering five runs on nine hits in his seven-inning start.
"The home runs are killing me this year," said Hammel. "That's the bottom line."
Brian Roberts, in his second game back from an extended stint on the disabled list, hammered one into the left-field bleachers in the third inning for his first home run of the season.
Chicago answered with the next five runs, the first coming in the fourth when Beckham plated Gillaspie with a single through the left side of the infield.
Gillaspie hit a high fastball over the right-field wall leading off the sixth, and the hosts pushed three more across in the seventh to take control.
Alejandro De Aza was hit by a pitch and moved to third on Alexei Ramirez's base hit to left. De Aza scored on Alex Rios' fielder's choice groundout, and Dunn followed with a mammoth homer deep into the right-field seats.
Adam Jones brought the Orioles within 5-2 with an RBI single in the eighth, but Addison Reed closed out the decision in the ninth to post his 22nd save.
Game Notes
Dunn has 22 home runs this season ... Danks had lost his previous three outings ... White Sox designated hitter Paul Konerko went 0-for-4 in his return to the lineup after missing six games with lower back tightness ... Nick Markakis had three of Baltimore's eight hits.
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