Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Carlos Quentin hit a grand slam and solo home run, and Andruw Jones added his 400th career homer, as the Chicago White Sox slugged their way to a 15-5 win over the Kansas City Royals.
The White Sox hit five home runs, four of which came against Royals starter Anthony Lerew (1-3). With Zack Greinke scratched from the start after experiencing discomfort in his throwing shoulder, Lerew took the mound and gave up eight runs on nine hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.
Alex Rios and Dayan Viciedo also homered off Lerew for Chicago, which has won eight in a row. The White Sox will go into the All-Star break in first place in the AL Central with a 49-38 record.
Jose Guillen went 2-for-3 with a home run for the Royals, who were swept in this three-game series and go into the break with a 39-49 record.
Mike Aviles got Kansas City on the scoreboard first, with a sacrifice fly in the second inning off White Sox starter Dan Hudson. However, Jones' sacrifice fly in the home half made it a 1-1 game, and Chicago scored seven runs in a homer-filled third inning to take control.
With a runner on first and two outs, Rios ripped a high-and-outside slider to center field for his 15th homer. Quentin followed with a solo blast to left to make it 4-1, and Mark Kotsay kept the inning going with a base hit.
After a coaching visit to the mound, A.J. Pierzynski walked, and Jones slugged a hanging breaking ball to left for the milestone home run. The rookie Viciedo then hit his second home run of the year to make it an 8-1 game and chase Lerew.
Guillen hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and the Royals rallied for two more runs in the fifth. A Mitch Maier single and Yuniesky Betancourt double put runners in scoring position for Scott Podsednik, whose base hit to right plated one run and forced a pitching change.
Tony Pena (3-1) entered and gave up an RBI single to Jason Kendall that brought the Royals within 8-5. But David DeJesus grounded into a double play and Billy Butler struck out to end the threat.
The White Sox got all those runs back in the sixth, which Viciedo began by reaching first on an error by Alberto Callaspo. Dusty Hughes gave up a single to Gordon Beckham and walked Juan Pierre before Omar Vizquel lofted a sacrifice fly.
Victor Marte entered to pitch for Kansas City but was ineffective. He walked Rios on five pitches before Quentin hit the first pitch, a down-and-in fastball, to left for a grand slam and 13-5 lead.
Run-scoring doubles from Beckham and pinch-hitter Brent Lillibridge in the seventh completed the scoring, while Pena pitched three scoreless innings for the victory.
Jones became the 46th player in baseball history to hit 400 career home runs...Quentin recorded his 10th career multi-homer game and fourth grand slam...White Sox starter Hudson gave up five runs on six hits and three walks in four-plus innings...Following the break, Chicago opens a 10-game road trip in Minnesota. The four-game series starts Thursday...Kansas City resumes play Friday with the opener of a three-game home series against Oakland.