WASHINGTON – Adam LaRoche ended an 0-for-15 start to the season with homers in consecutive at-bats, Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond also homered, and the Washington Nationals opened an early interleague series by edging the Chicago White Sox 8-7 Tuesday night.
Werth and LaRoche hit two-run shots off Jake Peavy in the sixth, an inning after Desmond went deep. LaRoche added a solo homer off Matt Thornton in the eighth.
That allowed Washington to hold on even though Alex Rios hit a two-run shot off closer Rafael Soriano with two outs in the ninth. Soriano got Paul Konerko to fly out to end it and record his third save in four chances.
Reliever Craig Stammen (2-0) got the win.
Peavy (1-1) went 5 1-3 innings, giving up six runs and nine hits.