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White Sox top Royals in 12 innings

Apr 6, 2011 - 11:17 PM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Brent Morel drove in two with a single as part of a three-run top of the 12th inning, as the Chicago White Sox topped Kansas City, 10-7, in the finale of a brief two-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Tied at 7-7, Carlos Quentin opened the 12th with a double off Sean O'Sullivan (0-1), who stayed on after throwing a 1-2-3 11th inning, and took third on Alexei Ramirez's bunt single. Then later in the inning with the bases loaded and one out, Morel sliced a two-run single to right for a 9-7 game. Juan Pierre added a sacrifice fly to give the White Sox a three-run cushion heading to the home half.

Chris Sale (1-0), in for his second inning of work, had no problems retiring the Royals in order to preserve the win.

Quentin went 4-for-6 with a homer, two doubles and three RBI, while Ramon Castro had a solo shot for the White Sox, who rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth inning to go in front, 7-6, before Kansas City tied it up in the bottom half to force extra innings.

"We did a good job fighting," said Morel.

Chicago, which dropped the series opener, 7-6, in 12 innings, snapped a two- game slide. Pierre finished 3-for-6 with two RBI.

Mark Buehrle started for the White Sox and was tagged for five runs on eight hits with a pair of walks while striking out two.

Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Alcides Escobar and Brayan Pena each had two hits and an RBI for Kansas City, which had its four game-winning streak halted.

Starter Jeff Francis went 6 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on eight hits. The veteran left-hander struck out four and walked one.

Ahead 6-3, Joakim Soria took the hill for the ninth and retired the first two batters before Pierre singled and Gordon Beckham drew a walk. Alex Rios' infield single brought in one and left runners on the corners. Paul Konerko dumped an RBI single to right before Quentin laced a two-run double to left to give the White Sox a 7-6 lead.

"I felt pretty good," Soria said. "They hit the ball well. That's part of baseball."

Matt Thornton came in for the home ninth and fanned the leadoff batter. Butler reached with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson, who stole second. Kila Ka'aihue looped a double to left to score the tying run and Jeff Francoeur was walked intentionally.

Escobar bounced into a fielder's choice and Pena grounded out to second, forcing extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, Jeremy Jeffress stranded a runner on second and the Royals went quietly in the bottom half.

O'Sullivan tossed a perfect top of the 11th and KC put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom portion off Sale. However, Francoeur struck out swinging and Escobar grounded out to end the threat.

Gordon's run-scoring double and Butler's RBI base hit in the first gave Kansas City the early lead.

Escobar laced a double to left in the fourth, scoring Francoeur, who singled with one out before Pena's RBI base hit and run-scoring fielder's choice by Mike Aviles made it 5-0.

Castro's solo shot and run-scoring double by Pierre in the seventh got the White Sox within 5-2 and they added another on a homer by Quentin in the eighth.

Kansas City got one back in the home eighth when Teahen dropped a fly ball in left field that went for a two-base error and allowed Chris Getz to score from first.

Game Notes

Chicago will be without slugger Adam Dunn for at least the next five days, as he underwent an emergency appendectomy Tuesday night in Kansas City...The White Sox won 10 of 18 matchups with the Royals last season.