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Konerko, Lillibridge lift White Sox past Yankees

Apr 27, 2011 - 4:22 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Paul Konerko belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Brent Lillibridge made two game-saving catches in the ninth, lifting the White Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Yankees.

Lillibridge slammed into the right field wall to catch Alex Rodriguez's drive for the second out, then laid out for a diving grab on Robinson Cano's liner to end the game.

"Incredible plays," said Rodriguez. "If that ball Robinson hits ricochets off his glove, we win the game."

The Yankees were trying to rally against Chicago's bullpen after Derek Jeter knocked starter Gavin Floyd out of the game with a leadoff single in the ninth.

Floyd (3-1) surrendered just four hits, two runs and a walk while striking out 10 to give the White Sox another good outing against the vaunted Yankee offense.

Phil Humber carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning to lead Chicago to a 2-0 win in the opener of the four-game series on Monday.

The Yankees had just three hits in that game, and they didn't fare much better against Floyd on Tuesday. What they did get were a couple of solo homers from Cano and Brett Gardner.

"We always feel like we can do better," said Rodriguez. "We're never satisfied as an offense, but we ran into a wall a little bit these last two days."

In the ninth, Jeter hit a dribbler to third base and easily beat the throw to put the tying run on. Curtis Granderson sacrificed Jeter to second with a bunt off Matt Thornton and Mark Teixeira walked, putting the winning run at first base and bringing in Sergio Sanchez from the bullpen.

Rodriguez sliced Sanchez's 2-1 pitch to the right field wall, but Lillibridge got there in time, crashing back-first into the wall as he reached his left hand out for the grab.

Two pitches later, Cano roped a slider near the right field line that might have won the game if it dropped. Instead, Lillibridge dove face-first to make another highlight-reel catch.

He smacked his right hand into the Yankee Stadium grass in celebration, while Cano threw his helmet down in frustration near first base.

"I was beyond excited," said Lillibridge, who came in as a pinch runner in the eighth and scored on Konerko's homer. "Gavin pitched great and he got the win because of what I did."

The White Sox improved to just 3-10 in their last 13 games -- they have scored four runs or more only once during the stretch -- while the Yankees lost for the third time in eight games.

Ivan Nova started for the Yankees, working 6 1/3 innings and giving up one run on five hits and two walks. He struck out three.

Konerko homered off Rafael Soriano (1-1) with one out in the eighth inning, knocking a 1-1 pitch into the left field seats for his sixth homer of the season. Carlos Quentin scored on the play after being hit by a pitch.

Cano fouled off a bunt attempt, then belted Floyd's 1-1 offering high into the right field seats on the next pitch for his fifth homer of the season, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Alex Rios singled to lead off the fifth for Chicago, then stole second base and scored on Gordon Beckham's opposite-field base hit to right, scoring just ahead of the throw to make it 1-1.

Gardner gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth, hammering a 1-0 pitch off the facing of the second deck in right field for his second homer of the season.

Game Notes

Santon earned his second save...The White Sox are 3-6 on an 11-game road trip that ends with this series...Alexei Ramirez and Konerko had two hits apiece for Chicago, while Jeter had two for New York.