Flushing, NY – Jake Peavy was outstanding in his first start in nearly two weeks and the White Sox' bats awoke in a 6-3 victory over the New York Mets, helping them earn a split of a two-game set at Citi Field.
Chicago posted 13 hits and scored one fewer run than its total over the previous four games. Alejandro De Aza and Alex Rios each belted a solo homer among their three hits and combined to score five runs for the White Sox, who had lost three of four coming in.
Peavy (4-1) didn't appear to have any issue with the back spasms that forced him to miss his previous two scheduled starts. The right-hander fired 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and striking out six.
"I found a way to get through a lineup that was dangerous," Peavy said. "We made enough good pitches when we needed to get out of it, and there was some great defensive plays."
Conor Gillaspie went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair in the victory.
Jeremy Hefner (0-4) was roughed up early for New York, with all four of his runs allowed coming in the first three innings. He gave up eight hits and struck out five over six frames.
"If he continues to pitch the way he has the last three starts, we're going to be okay," said Mets manager Terry Collins.
Hefner has given up seven runs over his last 21 innings of work. The Mets have not won in any of his six starts this season.
The Mets managed just three hits in the first seven innings before plating a pair of runs over the final two frames. Lucas Duda hit a solo homer and Ruben Tejada recorded an RBI in defeat.
The White Sox failed to record a hit until the seventh inning on Tuesday, but got off to a good start Wednesday when De Aza led off the game with a homer, his sixth of the season.
Duda lifted a game-tying homer into right in the second, but New York's bats went silent from there and the White Sox jumped back in front in the top half of the third.
De Aza and Alexei Ramirez reached Hefner for one-out singles and Rios doubled into right center to plate a run. With runners on second and third, Gillaspie made it 4-1 when his soft fly ball landed in between shortstop Tejada and center fielder Jordany Valdespin for a double.
Peavy was aided by some strong defense, as Dewayne Wise slammed into the wall in center after chasing down a deep fly from Ike Davis in the second and Ramirez made a diving stop at short to turn a double play two innings later.
The Mets recorded just their second hit of the game when pinch-hitter Marlon Byrd ripped a leadoff double down the left field line in the sixth, but Peavy retired the next three batters in order to keep New York from scoring.
Three straight singles from Chicago in the seventh pushed its lead to 5-1, with Paul Konerko driving a base hit into right off Scott Atchison to score Rios.
The Mets scored a run in the eighth after Justin Turner's pinch-hit single into right was mishandled by Rios, but were stifled by Jesse Crain, who replaced Matt Thornton on the mound and recorded three outs via strikeout.
Rios made up for his blunder in the ninth, clubbing a solo homer off Mets reliever Jeurys Familia into the left field seats.
Mike Baxter drove a one-out triple into center in the ninth off White Sox reliever Addison Reed and scored on Tejada's base hit into right.
Juan Lagares came to the plate with two on following a hit from Turner, but struck out to end the game.
Game Notes
New York fell to 8-9 at home this season ... The Mets were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position ... Rios' homer was his eighth of the season ... The Mets are 12-4 against members of the AL Central since 2010.
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