White Sox 7, Yankees 3
Kevin Youkilis hit a grand slam and Francisco Liriano calmed down after a rough start to last six solid innings as host Chicago took its second straight from New York.
Paul Konerko added a solo home run and A.J. Pierzynski drove in a run for the White Sox, who clinched the three-game series and kept their lead in the American League Central at two games over the Detroit Tigers.
Youkilis, who was a consistent thorn in the Yankees’ side as a member of the rival Boston Red Sox for years, came up with the bases loaded in the sixth inning and the game knotted 2-2. Ivan Nova (11-7) left a 1-0 fastball over the heart of the plate and Youkilis took it the opposite way into the bullpen in right-center for his 15th home run and third career grand slam.
Liriano (5-10) allowed a home run to Derek Jeter on the first pitch of the game and surrendered a second run in the first inning before settling in and dominating. The left-hander ended up charged with two runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking three.
Chicago cut the deficit in half on Pierzynski’s sacrifice fly in the second and pulled even in the fourth, when Konerko hammered his 21st homer out to left.
Nova allowed six runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out three. The right-hander is 1-3 with an 8.59 ERA in his last five starts.
Russell Martin chipped in a solo homer for New York, which maintained a four-game lead in the AL East thanks to Tampa Bay’s loss.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The White Sox placed CF Alejandro De Aza (ribs) on the 15-day DL and recalled OF Jordan Danks from Triple-A Charlotte. … Jeter’s homer moved him past Eddie Murray into sole possession of 12th place on baseball’s all-time hit list. … Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (elbow) threw his normal bullpen session on Tuesday and is in line to come off the DL for a start Friday at Cleveland. … White Sox OF Dewayne Wise went 4-for-5 and is 6-for-10 in the series - his first against New York since being dropped by the Yankees last month.