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ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Chicago White Sox captured their first road series of the season, defeating the Texas Rangers 3-1 in the concluding game of a three-game series on a chilly night before 31,199 at Rangers Ballpark.

How it happened: The White Sox strung together three two-out hits, the last a three-run home run by Tyler Flowers, to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning. Hector Santiago, making his first start of the season as a replacement for a scratched Jake Peavy (back spasms), allowed only two hits in 5.1 innings to even his record at 1-1. Adrian Beltre turned around a rare Santiago mistake for a lead-off home run in the second inning to account for Texas’ only run.

What it means: Maybe it’s the start of a trend for the White Sox bullpen. Robin Ventura sure hopes so. For the second consecutive night, the bullpen pitched out of jams and protected a lead for a White Sox starter. This time it was Matt Lindstrom getting a double-play grounder from Beltre with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Thornton, Jesse Crain and Addison Reed finished off the three-hitter. Going into Wednesday’s game, the White Sox bullpen was 0-4 with a 7.43 ERA in its previous eight games.

Outside the box: A.J. Perizynski’s troubles getting a grip on the baseball kept the former White Sox catcher from making a throw on a pair of plays at second base. Pierezynski blocked a wild pitch into the dirt in the first inning, but two barehanded swipes at the ball proved fruitless with Alejandro De Aza breaking to second base. An inning later, Alexei Ramirez stole second base without a throw when Pirezynski failed to transfer the ball from glove to throwing hand. At the plate in his first start against his old club, Pierzynski had a quiet night, going 0-for-4 with three fly outs and a ninth-inning strikeout.

Offbeat: Game time temperature was 43 degrees, making it the third-coldest start in Rangers Ballpark history and 37 degrees colder than it was for Wednesday’s start. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said before the game his team was used to the cold, windy conditions. “It’s like a normal day for us."

Up next: Dylan Axelrod (0-1) moves up a day in the rotation, but pitches on regular four-day rest, to face Jeremy Guthrie (3-0) in a match-up of right-handers 7:10 p.m. Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Chicago White Sox bullpen surrendered six runs in the sixth inning of a 10-6 loss to the Texas Rangers Tuesday night.

How it happened: Left-handed reliever Donnie Veal was brought in by White Sox manager Robin Ventura to face left-handed hitting Mitch Moreland with a runner on first in the sixth inning of a 4-4 tie. Moreland lined a pitch over the head of left fielder Alejandro De Aza, who was playing shallow and didn’t seem to take the best angle. Geovany Soto scored easily on the double for a 5-4 lead. Ian Kinsler singled off the third reliever of the inning, Nate Jones, scoring Moreland with the sixth Texas run. Then, it turned ugly. Back-to-back wild pitches by Jones enabled a couple of more runs. Adrian Beltre finished off the six-run outburst with a two-run home run and Texas would have all the scoring it would need.

What it means: The White Sox dropped their third straight game in the opener of an eight-game, three-city road trip. After getting off to a quick 2-0 lead against Yu Darvish and then fighting back to overcome a two-run deficit in the sixth, the White Sox bullpen faltered. It is the continuation of a trend. The bullpen was 0-3 with a 6.08 ERA in seven preceding games after performing well (3-3, 1.63) in its first 17 games.

Outside the box: Shortstop Alexei Ramirez had very little reaction time, but that didn’t keep him from making a brilliant defensive play to turn away an early Rangers threat. Ramirez lunged to his left to glove a scalding one-hopper off the bat of Soto and turned it into an easy double play that ended the second inning.

Offbeat: Dewayne Wise was not in the original starting lineup. But when starting center fielder Jordan Danks came up hobbled with an inflamed bursa sac behind his right knee, Wise was inserted in the ninth spot in the order. Wise made the most of his opportunity, matching a career high in hits in a game with four. Wise had singles in his first two trips, followed by a game-tying two-run home run in the sixth, all off Darvish. Wise finished his big night with a double in the eighth. Wise’s home run extended the White Sox streak to nine games in which they have homered.

Up next: Left-hander Chris Sale (2-2), coming off a strong outing in a 5-2 win over Tampa Bay, will go against Nick Tepesch (2-1) Wednesday in a 7:05 p.m. start at Rangers Ballpark.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox were upended 8-3 by the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday to end an abbreviated homestand with a 3-5 record.

How it happened: Paul Konerko hit his fourth home run and Adam Dunn continued his revival with a first-inning RBI single. But the White Sox sprung a leak in the later innings as Matt Joyce hit a game-tying two-run home run in the sixth inning, while the bullpen, combined with an error from Alex Rios, was touched for a three-run eighth inning. Ben Zobrist singled in a run in the eighth against Nate Jones for a 4-3 Rays lead, and with the White Sox almost out of the inning, Rios dropped a two-out shallow fly ball for two more runs.

What it means: The combination of an inconsistent offense and a less-than-trustworthy defense continues to cause the White Sox problems. Dylan Axelrod gave up three runs over six innings, but the White Sox offense could only match that total. Add to that two more errors, one of which led to the two eighth-inning runs, and the White Sox simply have too much to overcome in a daily basis. The White Sox entered play on Sunday tied with the Indians for most errors among AL Central teams (14).

Outside the box: Konerko managed to move himself up two home run lists Sunday. He not only hit his 426th home run to tie Billy Williams for 45th on the all-time list, but he also closed the gap on Frank Thomas’ White Sox career home-run mark. Konerko is now 29 home runs away from Thomas, who had 448 in a White Sox uniform. Konerko hit seven big league home runs before joining the White Sox.

Offbeat: It might be time to update Conor Gillaspie’s profile from a developing defender to one who has an unconventional give-and-take style. Gillaspie has always been a work in progress with the glove but has been a pleasant surprise since coming over to the White Sox. He made a first-inning error on an easy ground ball, only to atone for the miscue with a diving stop to his left on a ground ball from Evan Longoria and throw to first for the out. He made a similar play earlier in the homestand to cut down a runner at the plate.

Up next: The White Sox will have a day off Monday before opening an eight-game, three-city road trip at Texas. In the series opener on Tuesday, White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana (2-0, 2.78) will oppose Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish (4-1, 1.65) in the 7:05 p.m. start from Rangers Ballpark at Arlington.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox outslugged the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday for a 5-4 victory that gave them their first three-game win streak of the season.

How it happened: The White Sox delivered their offense through the long ball, but this time it came from unexpected sources. Hector Gimenez and Tyler Greene each hit their first home run in a White Sox uniform, while Conor Gillaspie added his own long ball. Jake Peavy gave up two early home runs to put the White Sox in a hole, but recovered to pitch a solid 6 2/3 innings. Closer Addison Reed gave up a run in the ninth inning, but finished it for his eighth save.

What it means: The only thing better than having the bench carry you to a victory is when the bench helps a struggling offense to carry you to the victory. Gimenez was giving Tyler Flowers the night off, while Greene was playing in place of Jeff Keppinger, who was dealing with back spasms and is day to day. Gillaspie is technically a reserve too, but has been starting ever since Gordon Beckham broke a bone in his hand earlier this month.

Outside the box: The Rays did better than most at getting to Peavy at U.S. Cellular Field. Including Friday’s outing, the White Sox’s right-hander now has a 2.38 ERA over his last 13 home starts dating back to June 1 of last season. White Sox starters have a 2.20 ERA over their last nine games, up from the 1.95 ERA they had over the last eight games before Peavy game up three runs.

Off beat: How much was the power show needed Friday? The story is best told by the numbers. Entering Friday’s game, the White Sox’s offense was 11th in the American League in slugging percentage (.380), 13th in batting average (.228), 14th in runs per game (3.38) and dead last in OPS (.657), on-base percentage (.277) and walks (45).

Up next: The White Sox will send right-hander Gavin Floyd (0-3, 4.98 ERA) to the mound against the Rays in the third game of the four-game series. Tampa Bay will counter with left-hander Matt Moore (4-0, 1.04) in the 1:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- Here's a quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday:

How it happened: The Sox grabbed a lead in the first inning off Cleveland starter Zach McAllister when Alejandro De Aza walked, stole second and scored on a Jeff Keppinger base hit. Alex Rios hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, his sixth of the season, to give the Sox a 3-0 lead. White Sox starter Jose Quintana ran his streak of scoreless innings to 18 2/3. He shut out the Indians on two hits through five innings. But Quintana failed to retire a hitter in the sixth inning, leaving the contest after Northbrook product Jason Kipnis singled home Drew Stubbs. Michael Brantley scored the second run of the inning on Mark Reynolds' sacrifice fly. The bullpen threw four shutout innings to preserve the win for Quintana.

What it means: Quintana won his second game of the season. The White Sox had lost four straight and 10 of 13 entering play Wednesday. They are last in the American League with runners in scoring position (17-for-104, .163 batting average going into the game). Manager Robin Ventura said he would consider dropping hitters in the order or try others if the slump continues. Rios broke an 0-for-13 streak with his fifth-inning home run.

Outside the box: Eighteen of the Sox's first 20 games have been decided by three runs or fewer. They are 5-6 in one-run games.

Next: The Sox open a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at 7:10 p.m. CT Thursday when Chris Sale (1-2, 4.50 ERA) opposes Jeremy Hellickson (1-1, 3.55).

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox's losing streak reached four games, three of which were at home, after a 3-2 defeat to the Cleveland Indians on Monday at U.S. Cellular Field.

How it happened: The White Sox aren’t getting much offense and what they are getting isn’t holding up. Clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth inning, Matt Thornton gave up an infield single and a walk followed by a wild pickoff throw to second base that put runners in scoring position. Asdrubal Cabrera made him pay with a go-ahead two-run single. For the second consecutive day a solid start was wasted, this time from Dylan Axelrod, who gave up one run on three hits over six innings.

What it means: The bullpen coughed up the lead for the second consecutive game as suddenly the most consistent part of the team is wavering. After giving up a four-run inning Sunday, the bullpen went from the best ERA in the American League to the second best at 2.22. The bullpen still entered with the best opponents’ batting average at .183. It stands to reason, though, that if the relievers are pitching in tight games every night it’s not always going to end as planned. A member of the bullpen has taken the loss in each of the three games of the homestand.

Outside the box: The White Sox have been in nearly all of their games this season, they just can finish the deal. Of their 19 games so far, a whopping 17 have been decided by three runs or less. The White Sox are 4-6 in one-run games, 1-3 in two-run games and 1-2 in three-run games. Their record on the season fell to 7-12.

Off beat: Nobody disputes the value of groundskeeper Roger Bossard, but his field pulled a fast one on left fielder Alejandro De Aza. The Indians’ Lonnie Chisenhall hit a ball to shallow left in the second inning and before De Aza could get a glove on it, the ball took a wild hop to his right. It was originally ruled an RBI single and an error, but changed to a double when replays showed the bad hop.

Up next: The White Sox will send left-hander Jose Quintana (1-0, 2.55 ERA) to the mound Tuesday against the Indians in the middle game of the three-game series. Cleveland will counter with right-hander Zach McAllister (1-2, 3.12) in the 7:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- Against a Minnesota Twins lineup that had six players batting .225 or less, the Chicago White Sox were defeated 5-3 in the series finale.

How it happened: Normally dependable, the White Sox’s bullpen couldn’t support a solid outing from Gavin Floyd. Matt Lindstrom, Donnie Veal and Jesse Crain combined to give up four runs in the seventh inning after Floyd completed a day when he gave up one run over six innings. The Twins’ Aaron Hicks, who entered batting .042, drove in the first run of the seventh on a single, while Josh Willingham, batting .225 at the outset, delivered a three-run triple off Crain in the inning. White Sox relievers started the day leading the American League with a 1.63 ERA and a .177 opponents' batting average.

What it means: Runs continue to be hard to come by for the White Sox, who have now scored three times or less in eight of their 18 games this season. Three of the first five hitters in the White Sox lineup Sunday were batting .227 at the start of the game or less, including the first two, Alejandro De Aza and Jeff Keppinger. De Aza and Keppinger managed to deliver, though, as Keppinger brought home De Aza twice, even though it was on outs both times, with a ground out in the fourth inning and a fly ball in the sixth.

Outside the box: While it wasn’t enough to end talk of a slump, Adam Dunn did hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to snap an 0-for-31 dry spell. He had one hit in his previous 39 at-bats before going deep. Going back to Saturday’s game, Dunn had struck out five times in six trips to the plate against the Twins before hitting his home run off of reliever Josh Roenicke, his third of the season. He later struck out to end the game.

Off beat: On the one-year anniversary of Philip Humber's perfect game in Seattle last season, Floyd actually retired the first seven batters he faced before a walk to Hicks. Floyd didn’t give up his first hit until Willingham touched him for a single with one out in the fourth inning. After giving up a combined nine runs over his last two starts, Floyd’s outing Sunday was his best of his four appearances this season. He gave up just three hits to go along with the one run he allowed.

Up next: The White Sox will send right-hander Dylan Axelrod (0-1, 4.70 ERA) to the mound Monday against Cleveland in the opener of a three-game series. The Indians will counter with right-hander Justin Masterson (3-1, 1.67) in the 7:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.

CHICAGO -- Here's a quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field:

How it happened: The Twins scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by Alexei Ramirez in the 10th inning. After a weather-related cancellation on Friday, right-hander Jake Peavy and Twins starter Vance Worley kicked off the abbreviated two-game series. Alejandro De Aza led off the White Sox's first inning with his fourth home run of the season, his fifth career leadoff homer. Twins outfielder Josh Willingham singled home the tying run in the third inning, scoring Brian Dozier.

Peavy kept his streak of good pitching alive. In seven innings, he allowed just one run on six hits with nine strikeouts to lower his ERA to 3.20. Worley also went seven in a no-decision.

Two Web Gem-caliber plays by the Sox in the eighth inning preserved a tie. Third baseman Conor Gillaspie made a diving backhand stop of a bases-loaded one-hopper and forced Chris Parmelee out at home with a perfect throw from his knees. Paul Konerko had an over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory to end the inning.

What it means: Peavy entered the game having defeated Minnesota in four straight starts, carrying a 1.73 ERA throughout those outings. As a team, the White Sox came into the contest with a .177 batting average with runners in scoring position (lowest in the American League). They were 0-for-3 with men in scoring position on Saturday. Adam Dunn is in a 1-for-36 slump and struck out three times in four at-bats.

Outside the box: Outfielder Dayan Viciedo was placed on the 15-day DL due to a strained oblique. Outfielder Blake Tekotte was recalled from Triple-A. Pitching coach Don Cooper returned to the team after missing 10 days with diverticulitis. The Sox had won 12 of their previous 14 games against the Twins.

Up next: On Sunday, RHP Gavin Floyd (0-3, 6.32) faces off against LHP Scott Diamond (0-1, 8.31) in the finale of this two-game series.

Here's a quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 3-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday:

How it happened: Coming off the worst start of his career, Chris Sale pitched good enough to win, giving up two earned runs in seven innings. But the Sox committed two costly errors, including one by Sale, against the Jays, who got a stellar effort from 2012 NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey. He pitched six shutout innings before leaving with neck and back stiffness. The Jays took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an Edwin Encarnacion RBI single and scored two runs in the fifth when an Adam Dunn error scored Emilio Bonifacio and Raji Davis hit an RBI double. Tyler Flowers drove in the only Sox run in the eighth inning with a double that scored Alexei Ramirez.

What it means: The Sox had a chance to win their four-game series against the Jays and put a positive end to a tough 10-game road trip. Instead their ace lost his second straight start, the victim of a lack of run support, which has been a familar refrain early in the season for the Sox, who had just four hits. Dayan Viciedo could be headed to the disabled list after suffering an oblique strain.

Next: The Sox return home to open a weekend series against the Minnesota Twins. The Sox's Jake Peavy (2-1, 3.93 ERA) will be opposed by the Twins' Vancer Worley (0-2, 10.50) in the 7:10 p.m. CT start at U.S. Cellular Field.

Here's a quick look at the Chicago White Sox's 7-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday:

How it happened: The White Sox gave Jose Quintana some much-deserved run support after wasting a solid effort from the young lefthander in his last start against the Cleveland Indians. Tyler Flowers' three-run home run in the second inning got them on the board. The Sox extended their lead with an RBI double from Alexei Ramirez in the fourth and a home run by Alex Rios in the sixth. Paul Konerko drove in another in the seventh with a sacrifice fly. Quintana didn't allow a run over 6 2/3 innings and struck out seven to earn his first victory of the season.

What it means: The Sox have a chance to salvage a dreadful road trip by taking three of four from the Jays with a victory on Thursday. The Sox bats came alive on Wednesday with 11 hits, including two more for Dayan Viciedo, who has six hits in his last 11 at-bats. Meanwhile, Adam Dunn continued to struggle, going 0-for-4, extending his hitless streak to 21 at-bats.

Next: The White Sox wrap up their series -- and 10-game road trip -- Thursday when Chris Sale (1-1, 5.21 ERA) is opposed by R.A. Dickey (1-2, 5.82 ERA) at 6:05 p.m. CT.

TORONTO -- The Chicago White Sox scored a pair of ninth-inning runs and then hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday at the Rogers Centre.

How it happened: White Sox starter Dylan Axelrod and Jays starter Josh Johnson engaged in a pitchers' duel for much of the game, with each right-hander allowing two runs over six and seven innings, respectively. Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko led off the ninth with consecutive walks, paving the way for Dayan Viciedo to drive in a run on a long fly ball to center field. Konerko later came in to score the game winner on a Hector Gimenez sacrifice fly. Addison Reed allowed his first run of the season in the ninth to cut Chicago's lead to one, but the closer held on to record his fifth save.

What it means: The White Sox picked up their second road win of the season, improving their record to 2-6 away from U.S. Cellular Field this season. Konerko's home run in the seventh inning was the 425th of his career, putting him one away from tying Cubs great Billy Williams for 45th on the all-time list. Konerko scored three runs in a game for the first time since May 26, 2012.

Outside the box: Axelrod threw a quality start (six innings, two earned runs, seven hits, one walk, four strikeouts), and yet the right-hander came ever so close to avoiding damage altogether. Axelrod twice allowed two-out solo homers on 1-and-2 counts -- Colby Rasmus connected on a long ball in the second inning, and J.P. Arencibia went deep in the sixth to temporarily give Toronto the lead. The two homers were the first homers allowed by Axelrod this season, and he had given up just one home run over his previous 32 1/3 innings dating to last season.

Offbeat: Axelrod was aided by some quality glove work from the White Sox infielders. Alexei Ramirez made a nifty jumping grab of a Brett Lawrie line drive to end the fifth inning. Dunn snagged a liner the next inning, a scorcher off the bat of Maicer Izturis that went right to Dunn at first base. Dunn made the catch and then stepped on first to double off Rasmus for an unassisted double play.

Up next: The White Sox play the third game of their four-game series with the Blue Jays on Wednesday at 6:07 p.m. CT. After throwing seven shutout, one-hit innings in his previous start, left-hander Jose Quintana (0-0, 4.09 ERA) returns to the mound against fellow southpaw J.A. Happ (2-0, 3.48).

TORONTO -- Here's a quick look at how the Chicago White Sox lost 4-3 to Mark Buehrle and the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday at Rogers Centre.

How it happened: Paul Konerko and Dayan Viciedo delivered RBI singles in the first inning, highlighting a four-hit frame that gave Chicago an early 2-0 lead. From there, however, the White Sox couldn't muster anything else against Buehrle despite a total of nine hits against their former ace in his 6 1/3 innings of work. Alexei Ramirez drove in Chicago's only other run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the eighth.

What it means: The White Sox fall to 0-6 in night games this season and 1-6 on the road. The defeat also continues their lengthy run of poor results in Toronto --- the Sox are now 7-19 over their last 26 games at Rogers Centre. It was the 11th time in 13 games for Chicago this season that the final score was decided by three runs or less. Starter Gavin Floyd now has a 6.25 ERA in 10 career games (eight of them starts) against the Blue Jays.

Outside the box: Floyd was trying to rebound after a tough outing against Washington in his last start but again ran into trouble. Spotted a 2-0 lead after the top of the first, Floyd promptly allowed Toronto to tie the score on a sacrifice fly and then J.P. Arencibia's solo blast over the right field wall. Floyd lasted only 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and three walks, striking out six. He left the game in the fifth with the bases loaded but Hector Santiago induced a grounder from Izturis for the double play to escape the jam.

Offbeat: Alex Rios went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, continuing his history of success against his former team. Heading into Monday's game, Rios was hitting .290/.305/.570 with six home runs in 93 career at-bats against the Blue Jays. Though it has been over three years since Rios played for the Jays, Rios received his usual heavy round of booing from the Rogers Centre fans for his perceived lackadaisical attitude when he played for Toronto.

Up next: The White Sox continue their series in Toronto when they face the Blue Jays at 6:07 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Right-hander Dylan Axelrod (0-1, 5.79 ERA) takes the hill for Chicago against Jays right-hander Josh Johnson (0-1, 11.05 ERA).

WASHINGTON -- Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche each hit two-run homers off Jake Peavy in the sixth inning and a late rally by the Chicago White Sox fell short in an 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals in the first game of their interleague series Tuesday night.

How it happened: Both the White Sox and Nationals are adept at hitting home runs and that was the difference in the game. Washington starter Gio Gonzalez only allowed a run on four hits and the White Sox got a break when he left after the fifth. Paul Konerko did most of the damage with a game-tying sacrifice fly in the sixth and a three-run homer in the seventh. However, Werth's third RBI off a single and LaRoche's second homer allowed the Nationals to pull away for their fifth win in seven games. White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham left the game at the end of the second inning with nerve irritation in his left wrist and is listed as day-to-day. White Sox right fielder Alex Rios homered for the fourth consecutive game in the ninth to cut the margin to one.

What it means: The White Sox hit a speed bump with their dominance in interleague play, falling to 163-121 all-time, second only to the Yankees. The Sox also lost for only the ninth time in 31 games in National League parks. Nonetheless, the Sox still have an opportunity to win their 13th consecutive interleague series if they can pick up victories in their final two games in Washington.

Outside the box: Home runs have been the key for the White Sox offense and Konerko provided a spark with a three-run homer in the seventh to cut Washington's lead to 6-5. So far this season, 20 of the White Sox’s 29 runs have come via the long ball. However, the Nationals' Gonzalez, who was the first lefty starter the White Sox faced this season, kept hitters off-balance with a mix of fastballs and curves. The White Sox had much more success against the Nationals' bullpen, managing six runs and seven hits. Still, the White Sox might have to do a better job of manufacturing runs on nights where they suffer from a power outage.

Off beat: Third baseman Jeff Keppinger snapped out of an 0-for-19 skid with a one-out, first-inning single. The hit helped the White Sox load the bases and eventually score the game's first run on a balk. Keppinger also picked up another single in the seventh and is now batting .115 on the season. Keppinger, who was signed as a free agent in December, is expected to solve the White Sox problems in finding an efficient No. 2 hitter. Last season, White Sox hitters batted only .221 from that spot. Keppinger is a proven commodity with a lifetime .288 average after breaking into the majors in 2004 with the Mets. Last season, he set a career-high with nine home runs and led Tampa Bay with a .325 average. If Keppinger begins to heat up, it will bode well for Chicago's ability to manufacture runs as opposed to relying on homers, where they are tied for second with Minnesota in the American League with 11.

Up next: The White Sox will play the second game of the three-game series Wednesday against the Nationals. White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd (0-1, 3.00), who grew up in nearby Annapolis, Md. and should have a large contingent of family and friends in the stands, will face Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (1-0, 1.50)

CHICAGO -- Dayan Viciedo hit a home run in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday to give the Chicago White Sox a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

How it happened: Viciedo’s game-winning shot was only fitting as the game shaped up as a bit of a home run challenge. The Mariners’ Michael Morse and the White Sox’s Adam Dunn traded off two-run home runs in the first inning. The Mariners’ Kendrys Morales hit a solo shot in the sixth, while Alex Rios matched that one inning later. It was Viciedo’s first career game-ending home run. The previous game-ending homer for the White Sox came from Jordan Danks last season.

What it means: If the White Sox showed anything in the opening series it’s that pitching and home run hitting can get it done for stretches. The White Sox will gladly take more pitching, but the consensus is that the offense is going to have to start stringing together hits in order to get consistent run production. The White Sox hit 11 home runs in the season-opening homestand, while giving up four.

Outside the box: The White Sox’s fielding woes are spreading. Gordon Beckham joined the error parade Sunday when he made a wide throw to first base in the eighth inning. It was the White Sox’s seventh error in the first six games. Last season, they led the major leagues by committing just 70 errors the entire season.

Off beat: Alex Rios has been making waves with his hot start. His long ball Sunday gave him home runs in three consecutive games for the first time in his career. On Saturday, when he went deep against Felix Hernandez, it was the first time since 2011 that somebody hit a home run against the Mariners’ ace on an 0-2 count. Adrian Beltre was the last to do it. The White Sox’s Josh Fields did it in 2007.

Up next: After a day off Monday, the White Sox will open a three-game interleague series at Washington against the Nationals. White Sox right-hander Jake Peavy (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will face Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez (1-0, 0.00) in Tuesday’s series opener.

CHICAGO – Up against a former Cy Young Award winner, the Chicago White Sox had just enough for a 4-3 victory Saturday over the Seattle Mariners.

HOW IT HAPPENED: It’s why they play the games as the White Sox used injury-replacement starter Dylan Axelrod to get the best of the Mariners and ace Felix Hernandez. Axelrod, who is in the fifth spot only because John Danks is on the disabled list, went a solid 5⅔ innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits. The White Sox got to Hernandez with two run-scoring sacrifice flies and a two-run home run from Alex Rios. Addison Reed closed it out for his third save.

WHAT IT MEANS: While five games is far too soon to pull the plug on the struggling Jeff Keppinger as the third baseman, Conor Gillaspie showed he deserves some playing time. In his first start in a White Sox uniform he not only got the White Sox out of a jam in the top of the fifth when he went toward the line to start an impressive double play, he tripled to lead off the bottom of the inning and scored the tying run. He would also bring another left-handed bat to a lineup that only has two (Alejandro De Aza and Adam Dunn). As Gillaspie played third base, Keppinger moved to first base for the day.

OUTSIDE THE BOX: It hasn’t been the kind of start the White Sox were expecting out of Nate Jones. The right-handed reliever was charged with a run the day after he lost his first game of his career while giving up two runs. He has made three appearances this season and has put on a base runner each time. While it’s far too soon to panic, he already has an 11.57 ERA during the first week.

OFFBEAT: All it took was a little research to see that the White Sox actually stood a fair chance of defeating the Mariners and Hernandez. The right-hander is considered one of baseball’s best but not because of his appearances at U.S. Cellular Field. Hernandez is now 1-5 in eight career starts at the White Sox’s home park with a 4.88 ERA and has allowed 11 home runs.

UP NEXT: The White Sox will turn the rotation over for the first time as left-hander Chris Sale (1-0, 0.00) returns to the mound in the finale of the three-game series and season-opening homestand. The Mariners will counter with right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (1-0, 1.50) in the 1:10 p.m. start from U.S. Cellular Field.