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Olivo homers to lift KC past White Sox 6-3

Jul 5, 2009 - 10:34 PM By DOUG TUCKER AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) -- The Chicago White Sox were a big part of Brian Bannister's happy childhood, and they've dealt him plenty of misery so far as an adult.

Bannister pitched six strong innings and benefited from several good defensive plays Sunday in Kansas City's 6-3 victory over the team his father once pitched for, and the team that had beaten him four times in a row.

"I have a lot of emotion when I play these guys," said Bannister. "I threw everything I had at them today."

Miguel Olivo hit a two-run home run and Willie Bloomquist and David DeJesus had three hits apiece for the Royals, who gained a split in the four-game series after snapping a five-game losing streak against Chicago the day before.

Growing up, Bannister hung around Comiskey Park and was a huge White Sox fan while his father, Floyd Bannister, won 66 games for them. Many of the men who played with Bannister's father still wear Chicago uniforms and were in the park on Sunday, including manager Ozzie Guillen.

"They've got the same trainer, the same manager, the same hitting coach and the same first base coach that were my father's teammates back then," said Bannister (6-6). "I've known those guys for a long time. I don't know how that factors in because they're not on the field playing against me. But (the White Sox) always seem to have good at-bats against me, no matter how well I'm throwing. They always seem to give me a tough game."

Bannister gave up five hits and two runs and Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth for the second day in a row, collecting his 10th career save against the White Sox.

"Because they've beat me so bad over the last couple of years and I spent such a big part of my childhood in Chicago at Comiskey, it's important to me to go out there and do well," Bannister said. "It's really very important."

Clayton Richard (3-2), who beat Bannister and the Royals 11-2 on May 29, lasted just 3 2-3 innings and gave up four runs and eight hits.

"It's hard to describe the feeling when you make good pitches and they get hit," Richard said. "It's out of your control."

Bloomquist, after fouling off five two-strike pitches, singled between second and third to bring home Alberto Callaspo with the Royals' first run in the third.

Then Brayan Pena's RBI double started a three-run fourth. Callaspo's RBI single plated Pena and DeJesus singled for a 4-2 lead. Olivo's team-leading 13th home run put KC ahead 6-2 in the fifth.

Jermaine Dye hit his 20th home run, a 434-foot shot off Jamey Wright in the eighth. In the third, Alexei Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly for the White Sox.

Even with the loss, the White Sox ended a seven-game road trip 5-2.

"A good road trip," said Guillen. "The last couple of days we couldn't get anything going offensively. Bannister threw the ball pretty good. Richard seemed like he was cruising real nice and all of a sudden a couple of cheap hits, the ones that hurt the most."

The failure of Callaspo to turn what would have been an inning-ending double play cost the Royals a run in the fourth. He took a short toss from shortstop Bloomquist for the forceout at second. But then he double-pumped before throwing to first and Josh Fields was safe, enabling A.J. Pierzynski to score from third for a 2-1 White Sox lead.

NOTES: The White Sox ended the mathematical halfway point of the season three games above .500 and with a pitching staff that ranked second in the AL with a 3.94 ERA. They were 45-36 after 81 games last year. ... Royals outfielder Coco Crisp disclosed that he's going to have surgery on both his left and right shoulder. He's out for the year. ... The Royals said they planned to activate C John Buck off the 15-day DL on Monday and option infielder Tug Hulett to Triple-A Omaha.