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Yankees use late rally to down White Sox

Sep 4, 2013 - 6:34 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Eduardo Nunez's two-RBI double capped a five-run bottom of the eighth inning that lifted the New York Yankees to a 6-4 come- from-behind victory over the Chicago White Sox.

The Yankees had mustered just one unearned run off Chicago ace Chris Sale while trailing 4-1 after seven innings, but came to life in the eighth to rally for a fourth win in five games. Curtis Granderson came through with a pinch-hit single against Donnie Veal that knotted the score in front of Nunez's deciding shot off Matt Lindstrom, while Alfonso Soriano delivered a two-run single earlier in the frame to give Nate Jones (4-5) the loss.

"It's a tough place to play," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Yankee Stadium. "Once they get going and the crowd gets into it, the team feeds off of it."

Nunez and Derek Jeter each collected two hits for New York, which is 2 1/2 games behind rival Tampa Bay for the AL's second wild card berth.

Alejandro De Aza finished 3-for-4 with a solo homer in the loss, Chicago's fifth in a row. Alexei Ramirez added a two-run triple and Gordon Beckham scored twice while going 2-for-3.

Sale gave up just five hits and struck out six over 7 1/3 innings, but was charged with three runs -- two earned -- in a hard-luck no-decision.

The Chicago ace kept the Yankee bats quiet for the majority of his stint, but had his night come to an end when Robinson Cano followed Jeter's one-out single with a double to left to bring the tying run to the plate in the pivotal eighth.

Soriano promptly greeted Jones with a single up the middle that brought New York within 4-3, and Granderson capped a string of five straight Yankee hits with a base hit off Veal that plated Soriano.

Veal rebounded to strike out Mark Reynolds, but Nunez drilled a sinker into the left-field corner to knock in both Alex Rodriguez and Granderson and send the Yankees in front.

"It was just one good at-bat after another," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the eighth.

Mariano Rivera then came on to fan a pair of batters during a 1-2-3 ninth that resulted in his 40th save of the year. Boone Logan (5-2) was credited with the win after tossing a perfect top of the eighth.

Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda was touched for four runs over 6 1/3 innings, two of which were produced when Ramirez tripled down the left-field line in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie. The hard smash came after De Aza reached with a leadoff single in front of a walk to Beckham.

De Aza extended Chicago's lead by drilling a Kuroda offering into the lower deck in right with one out in the seventh.

Beckham doubled in his initial at-bat and came around on an Adam Dunn single as Chicago grabbed a 1-0 edge in the top of the first, though the damage could have been more. The White Sox loaded the bases with one out after Paul Konerko drew a walk behind Dunn's hit, but Kuroda struck out Avisail Garcia and Conor Gillaspie in succession to prevent further scoring.

The Yankees pulled even in the second by taking advantage of some sloppy Chicago defense. Vernon Wells singled with one out and advanced another base when Beckham missed the relay throw on the play, and Nunez reached on an error that put Wells on third two batters later.

The two then executed a double steal, with Wells avoiding the tag of Chicago catcher Josh Phegley while beating Beckham's throw to the plate.

Game Notes

Rivera reached the 40-save mark for the ninth time in his illustrious career, tied with Trevor Hoffman for the most in MLB history ... Kuroda had a streak of 20 consecutive scoreless innings at home snapped when Chicago put up a run in the first ... The White Sox lost for only the ninth time in 50 chances when leading after seven innings this season ... Yankees catcher Chris Stewart went 0-for-2 and is now hitless in 20 straight at-bats ... The White Sox purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Erik Johnson from Triple-A Charlotte prior to the game, with the rookie slated to make his major league debut as the starter in Wednesday's series finale.