Orlando Hudson singled in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning to give the White Sox a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.Dayan Viciedo had a one-out single, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alexei Ramirez then flew out to center, and Hudson followed with the winning single.The Sox avoided a sweep to improve to 15-4 in its last 19 games.The White Sox pitched out of trouble in the eighth and ninth innings. With Yunel Escobar on third with one out in the eighth, Nate Jones struck out Omar Vizquel and got Yan Jones on a force out. In the ninth, Addison Reed struck out Dan Johnson to end the inning with Jose Bautista on second.Reed (1-1) earned his first major League victory. Francisco Cordero (1-2) was the loser.Toronto took a 3-1 lead with a three-run second. David Cooper and Escobar led off with singles and scored on Mike McCoy’s bases-loaded single. Toronto added another run on an error by Alexei Ramirez. He made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle, but flipped the ball wide of second attempting to make a force, allowing J.P. Arencibia to score.The White Sox tied it in the sixth when Alex Rios followed Paul Konerko’s single with home run that just cleared the wall in left field. They opened the scoring in the first on Rios’ RBI single.Jake Peavy started, but struggled with his command. He battled through six-plus innings allowing four hits and five walks. He also hit a batter.Henderson Alvarez pitched seven innings of three-run ball for the Blue Jays, after posting a 6.08 ERA over his previous four outings.Konerko returned to the lineup for the White Sox after missing three games with a bone spur in his left wrist. The American League’s leading hitter at .371, he singling twice in three at-bats and drew a walk.

NOTES—Prior to the game, the White Sox placed OF Kosuke Fukudome on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right Oblique and called up OF Jordan Danks. Danks made his major league debut when he pinch ran in the eighth. He’s the brother of White Sox LHP John Danks, currently on the disabled list with a strained shoulder. … The White Sox host Houston on Friday night, with Gavin Floyd (4-5, 4.32) on the mound. The Blue Jays travel to Atlanta, where Kyle Drabek (4-6, 4.35 ERA) will face Brandon Beachy (5-4, 1.87 ERA).

MILWAUKEE—Norichika Aoki got a taste of a traditional big league game-winning home run celebration — a shaving cream pie in the face during his postgame television interview.His translator got one, too.The former Japanese batting champion hit a pair of home runs, including one to lead off the 10th inning, and the Brewers beat the Cubs 4-3 on Thursday.

“They don’t do the shaving cream to the face in Japan,” Aoki said through his translator, who still had globs of shaving cream on his shirt. “You get dirty, but it’s a good feeling.”

Aoki also hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.

“I still can’t believe that I was able to hit two today, and I’m really happy that it was in an important situation,” Aoki said.

Aoki was mobbed by his teammates at home plate after hitting the game winner.Aoki won three Japanese Central League batting championships before signing with the Brewers this offseason, but he hasn’t been known for his power. Aoki entered the game with just one home run this season, an inside-the-park homer on April 20.But Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Aoki has good bat speed and makes solid contact, so the two home runs weren’t a complete shock.

“He squares up the ball, and it takes off,” Roenicke said. “It’s not soft liners. So yeah, I can see him doing this. As much as he squares up the ball, I can see him doing this.”

Roenicke acknowledged that Aoki is making a strong case for more playing time — and may get it in the Brewers’ outfield if they continue to use Corey Hart at first base.

“He’s seeing the ball well,” Roenicke said. “He’s confident, playing good defense. He’s fun to watch.”

Hart hit a game-tying RBI double in the eighth for the Brewers, who took two out of three games from their NL Central rivals.

“We need to start winning a lot of [series],” Roenicke said. “It was important, but it’s also important, I think, that we played a good game.”

Bryan LaHair temporarily gave the Cubs the lead with a pinch-hit home run in the eighth and Koyie Hill added an RBI double for the Cubs.Casey Coleman (0-1) took the loss.

“He’d been locked-in this game, this series and really swinging the bat well,” Coleman said. “When you leave one up to a professional hitter especially in a tight situation like that, they’re going to make you pay. That’s what happened. I’ll take the same approach if I face the guy again, just hopefully better execution.”

Axford (1-2) earned the win, pitching the ninth and 10th.Brewers starter Randy Wolf gave up four hits and two walks, striking out six, rebounding after getting roughed up in his last outing.

“He’s frustrated,” Roenicke said. “He wants to get this thing going, and get locked in like he was.”

Cubs starter Matt Garza went six innings, giving up four hits and two runs with a walk and six strikeouts.

“You just keep going forward, keep getting ready and just keep playing,” Garza said. “We knew coming in that this was going to be tough. It is what it is. Just keep going, keep playing and keep getting ready.”

Garza gave up the first homer of the game to Aoki.

“You just tip your cap and the next time you face him, you go right back in there and shove it down his throat,” Garza said.

With the Cubs trailing 2-1 and two outs in the eighth, Alfonso Soriano singled. LaHair then pinch hit for Jeff Baker, and pounded a pitch from Francisco Rodriguez deep to right-center field to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead. It was LaHair’s second career pinch-hit home run.Aoki legged out an infield hit to start the bottom of the eighth, then went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Carlos Gomez.Ryan Braun flew out, but Hart doubled to tie the game.Aramis Ramirez, who has been out since Saturday with a left quadriceps strain, appeared as a pinch hitter but was walked intentionally. Pitcher Zack Greinke pinch ran for Ramirez but didn’t go anywhere, as Rickie Weeks struck out to end the inning.

NOTES—Ryan Braun had a rare moment of frustration at the plate in the first inning. After lunging at a pitch to strike out and end the inning, Braun tossed his bat high in the air and slammed his helmet on the ground. … A play originally ruled an error on Cubs third baseman Ian Stewart was changed to a base hit by Braun. … Ransom’s error broke a nine-game errorless streak for the Brewers.

Brandon Morrow’s previous start was a painful one. He took a line drive off his leg and had to be helped off the field.A week later, he hopped back on the mound and showed no adverse effects.Morrow pitched a two-hitter for his third shutout this season, most in the majors, and the Toronto Blue Jays got home runs from Jose Bautista and Rajai Davis in a 4-0 victory against the White Sox on Wednesday night.

“It felt fine for a few days. It’s just sore to the touch. It doesn’t hurt to move. There was no hesitation,” Morrow said about his leg.

Against Baltimore a week earlier, Morrow took a liner off the bat of Wilson Betemit in the seventh inning. After X-rays showed no major injury, it was determined it was just a bruised right shin. And the right-hander wasn’t worried Wednesday night about another hard-hit ball coming at him through the box.

“There’s that chance every time you take the mound. That’s not something you think of. If it happens, it happens,” he said. “I’ve been hit a few times.”

Morrow (7-3) allowed singles in the second and eighth to A.J. Pierzynski and retired 14 straight at one point. He gave up his only two walks in the ninth — to Adam Dunn and Alejandro De Aza — and struck out five, including Dayan Viciedo to end it.

“It was mainly all fastball, slider. I threw a few changeups to the left-handers, trying to keep them honest,” Morrow said. “When I have fastball command down to both sides of the plate, that’s when I’ve been at my best, and that’s what I had tonight.”

He faced a White Sox lineup without star Paul Konerko, who sat out a second successive game after having a bone chip flushed out of a joint in his left wrist. The first baseman has missed three games in a row overall after having the day off to rest last Sunday. Konerko said he hopes to play Thursday night when the White Sox try to avoid a three-game sweep.

“It’s just one of those days when you run into a guy that puts it to you and just overmatches you,” Robin Ventura said of Morrow’s performance, one that followed a strong effort Tuesday night by Ricky Romero in the Blue Jays’ 9-5 win.After the two losses, the Sox lead in the AL Central has been trimmed to a half-game over Cleveland.

“Guys throw like that, like the last two nights, and it’s tougher. It’s just the way it goes,” Ventura said. “You just put it behind you.”

After Pierzynski’s second single in the eighth and with the White Sox down 2-0, pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge was easily thrown out trying to steal second with no outs.

“It kills their rally there,” Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia said. “I was fortunate to get a good pitch to throw on. Right out of the hand I knew I had a good throw on the way. It was a big out.”

Starter Jose Quintana (1-1) gave up nine hits and two runs in six innings. He was making his first start since being ejected in the fourth inning against the Rays a week ago for throwing behind Ben Zobrist.Quintana has pitched well while filling in for John Danks, on the disabled list with a strained shoulder.

“He’s proved he can pitch up here,” Ventura said.

The Blue Jays snapped a scoreless tie in the fifth when Davis just beat a throw to first as the White Sox were trying to turn a double play. He stole second and scored when Colby Rasmus — who was 5 for 5 in the series opener — lined an RBI single to left before being thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.Leading off the sixth, Bautista hit a 3-2 pitch halfway up the left-field bleachers for his 15th home run of the season to give Morrow a two-run cushion. Davis added a two-run shot in the ninth, his fourth of the season, off Hector Santiago.

NOTES—Tyler Flowers replaced Konerko at first. Flowers started two games there last season…..Danks threw a pain-free bullpen session of 30-40 pitches and said he’ll probably pitch one rehab game next week before coming off the DL and returning to the rotation…..Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion (right wrist) remained out of the lineup for the second successive game. He was hit in the wrist by a pitch Sunday…..Yan Gomes was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas and put in the lineup at first base. It is his second stint with Toronto this season. He was robbed of a hit in the second inning on a diving stab by White Sox third baseman Orlando Hudson.

MILWAUKEE—Zack Greinke was fuming at himself after a rough second inning. He took it out on the Cubs.Greinke extended his home winning streak to 15 consecutive decisions at Miller Park, and the Milwaukee Brewers rediscovered their offense, beating the Cubs 8-0 on Wednesday night.Greinke became the third starting pitcher since 1900 to win his first 15 home decisions with a team. He chalked up much of the streak to good luck and run support, but acknowledged that he likes staying in a routine at home — and yes, it’s the little things that count.

“You wake up in your bed, and you don’t have to go anywhere to get your breakfast and coffee,” Greinke said. “And sometimes in the hotels, they have bad coffee or something, so you have to go do other stuff.”

Greinke (7-2) had a season-high 12 strikeouts and gave up two hits in seven innings, with two walks and a wild pitch.

“I was mad about it, probably, for a couple innings,” Greinke said of the rocky second. “Because I threw so many pitches that inning.”

Brooks Conrad — who came into Wednesday’s game batting .059 this season — had a two-run single for the Brewers, while Ryan Braun and Cody Ransom each had RBI doubles. Norichika Aoki had a walk and three hits after being moved to the leadoff spot and Taylor Green hit a three-run homer, the first of his career. The Brewers lost 10-0 in the first game of the series, ending the Cubs’ 11-game road losing streak.

“We always talk about the confidence, when you’re home and when you’re on the road,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said of Greinke. “He has great confidence here.”

Cubs starter Paul Maholm (4-5) gave up four runs and six hits in four innings. Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro each doubled on a quiet offensive night for the Cubs.

“If you’re going to strike out that many times on back-to-back nights, you’re not going to put many runs up, that’s for sure,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “Greinke was about as good as he’s going to get. ”

Greinke got off to a somewhat shaky start, including an awkward-looking curveball early on.Soriano led off the second with a shot down the third-base line, which Conrad unsuccessfully tried to barehand. Soriano went to second on the play, which was ruled a double.Soriano advanced to third on a groundout, and Greinke got another groundout. But he walked the next two hitters to load the bases, then struck out Maholm to get out of the inning — despite appearing to lose his grip on one offering to Maholm, the pitch registering 53 mph on the stadium speed gun. Greinke said he thought his catcher called for a fastball, but realized in the middle of his motion that he had called for a curve.

“And I couldn’t stop, or else it would be a balk and they’d score a run,” Greinke said. “So I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I just threw it. That was how that inning was going for me.”

After being shut out Tuesday and managing only one hit in the first three innings Wednesday, the Brewers finally got back on the scoreboard in the fourth. Aoki led off with a double, advanced to third on a flyout by Carlos Gomez and scored on a double by Braun. Corey Hart then reached base on an infield hit when third baseman Ian Stewart bobbled a ball coming out of his glove, giving the Brewers runners on first and second with one out.Rickie Weeks flew out, but Ransom doubled to score Braun — then Conrad delivered a broken-bat single to score two more, giving the Brewers a 4-0 lead. Milwaukee added another run in the fifth when Aoki doubled and took third on an error by right fielder David DeJesus. Aoki later scored on a sacrifice fly by Hart. Green tacked on his drive in the eighth. He got the ball back from the fan who caught it — and the fan didn’t ask for anything in return.

NOTES—The Cubs placed RHP Blake Parker on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow stress reaction and called up RHP Manuel Corpas….Both teams drafted their respective managers’ sons Wednesday. The Brewers took Lance Roenicke, an outfielder from UC Santa Barbara, in the 25th round. The Cubs took Rustin Sveum, an infielder at Desert Mountain High School in Arizona, in the 39th. …Matt Garza (2-4, 4.10 ERA) faces Brewers LHP Randy Wolf (2-5, 6.05 ERA) on Thursday.

MILWAUKEE—Forget ending his epic winless streak. For a while, Ryan Dempster was thinking about throwing a perfect game. Dempster retired the first 15 batters he faced and went on to earn his first win since last August, throwing seven innings of three-hit ball as the Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 10-0 on Tuesday night.

“Yeah, I was thinking about a perfect game for sure,” Dempster said. “I’m not an idiot. I know that I hadn’t had anybody on base. But it’s the second-best thing: a win right here.”

Coming into Tuesday’s game, Dempster (1-3) had gone 18 straight starts without a victory — a streak dating to Aug. 16 of last season. Dempster broke his winless streak in dominant fashion, not allowing a baserunner until Cody Ransom singled to lead off the sixth. Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run home run, Jeff Baker added a two-run shot and Bryan LaHair hit a solo homer for the Cubs, who snapped an 11-game road losing streak. The road slide matched a franchise record set in 1954.

“It felt nice,” Dempster said. “It’s been a while. But it feels nice because we’re sitting here, we’re on a huge road losing streak and everything. It was nice to go out there and win a game like that, and see everybody, the guys played great on defense and hit the ball and they made all the plays and scored a bunch of runs.”

It wasn’t a shock for Dempster to break the streak against the Brewers. Coming into Tuesday’s game, he had a 15-6 career record against Milwaukee with a 2.75 ERA. And he had plenty of support from a significant number of Cubs fans who made the drive up I-94.

“For some reason, Miller Park against the Brewers, he does a heck of a job,” said Dale Sveum, a former coach in Milwaukee. “Obviously, I had to witness a lot of it.”

Dempster wasn’t pitching terribly during his winless streak, posting a 3.95 ERA over those 18 starts.

“It’s not like he’s pitched bad,” Sveum said. “He’s pitched pretty good [in] whatever, 80, 90 percent of his starts he’s done pretty well.”

But the Cubs had scored three runs or fewer in 16 of those games. Scoring runs for Dempster wasn’t a problem for the Cubs on Tuesday, as they got five runs in six innings off of Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo (4-5). Ryan Braun was back in the lineup for the Brewers after missing two straight starts because of a nagging right Achilles’ injury, plus a strained right hip that took him out of Friday’s game. Braun appeared as a pinch-hitter Sunday, and the team was off Monday.In the first, Gallardo allowed a one-out single to Starlin Castro, then walked David DeJesus. Soriano then hit a pitch just over the fence in right field, his ninth of the season, to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead. Castro had three hits and a flawless night in the field after earning Sveum’s ire for not knowing how many outs there were on a play in Monday’s loss at San Francisco.

“I listened to him, because it’s my fault,” Castro said.

As Dempster cruised through the first four innings, the Cubs took a 4-0 lead in the fourth when LaHair hit his 11th homer of the season. Gallardo gave up another run in the fifth. With one out, Tony Campana reached first on an infield hit after Gallardo and first baseman Corey Hart got crossed up on a ground ball. Campana then took third on a single by Castro, and went home on a sacrifice bunt by DeJesus. Gallardo struck out Soriano to end the inning. Meanwhile, Dempster continued to mow down Brewers batters, throwing only 62 pitches through five innings. He finally gave up a single to Ransom to start the sixth, then a two-out single to Carlos Gomez, but he got Norichika Aoki to fly out to end the inning without allowing a run.

“It would have been fun,” Dempster said. “But five innings is just five innings.”

Things really fell apart for Milwaukee in the eighth. After an RBI single by Steve Clevenger left runners on first and second with two outs, Darwin Barney hit a bloop single that scored Soriano — and the Brewers couldn’t tag Clevenger out despite getting him caught in a rundown.Brewers reliever Tim Dillard intentionally walked Ian Stewart to load the bases, then walked pinch-hitter Adrian Cardenas to make the score 8-0. Campana grounded out to end the inning. Appearing as a pinch hitter in the ninth, Baker made it 10-0 with a two-run shot, his first homer of the year.

NOTES—Gallardo had 10 strikeouts, the 16th double-digit strikeout game of his career and first this season. … Brewers third baseman and longtime Cubs slugger Aramis Ramirez was out of the starting lineup with a left quadriceps strain….Paul Maholm (4-4, 4.82) faces RHP Zack Greinke (6-2, 3.46) in the second game of the series Wednesday night.

Colby Rasmus is still trying to figure out all the ins and outs of being a major league hitter. On Tuesday night against the White Sox, he showed the progress that both he and the Toronto Blue Jays expect. Rasmus went 5 for 5 with a homer to raise his average 20 points to .247 and help Ricky Romero get his seventh win as the Blue Jays beat the White Sox 9-5.

“Tonight, they fell in for me, which is nice. I felt comfortable at the plate with what I was trying to do with my approach, and it worked out,” Rasmus said after collecting three singles and a double to go with his homer during the career-best five-hit night.

Hitting in the second spot has helped him because that means his first plate appearance — especially on the road — comes quickly in the game.

“I’d love to have at-bats like I did tonight. I like hitting in the two-hole. It’s a good place to hit for me, the type of hitter I am. It doesn’t give you a lot of time to think,” Rasmus said. “The game starts and you’re in there hitting. The at-bats come real fast and there’s not a lot of sitting around, which is good.”

He’s also learning to make necessary changes to his stances and approach.

“I had a little stint where I was struggling a little a bit, which is gonna happen. I was able to change something, move up on the plate,” he said. “Getting a little older, a little wiser, learning to make adjustments based on how the pitchers are pitching you.”

Rasmus and David Cooper hit two-run homers in the fifth off Phil Humber and both finished with three RBIs in Toronto’s 13-hit attack. Rasmus was traded to the Blue Jays from the Cardinals last July and struggled in 35 games with Toronto, batting just .173.

“When he came to us, there was a transition period,” manager John Farrell said. “He was out of sorts, just kind of feeling his way through the organization, a new league. He’s simplified his approach and it’s allowed his abilities to really play out.”

Romero (7-1) pitched seven-plus innings, allowing six hits and five runs — three earned. He gave up an unearned run in the first, a two-run homer to A.J. Pierzynski in the seventh after Toronto had built a 7-1 lead, and then a solo shot to Adam Dunn in the eighth before he was replaced by Francisco Cordero.

“I felt great all game. Two mistake pitches to two pretty good hitters and they took advantage,” Romero said. “Other than that, I thought I made good pitches all night.”

The Sox played without cleanup hitter and first baseman Paul Konerko, who was scratched from the lineup after having a procedure on his left wrist. Manager Robin Ventura said Konerko had a chip in the wrist flushed out, adding it’s a condition Konerko has had previously. Ventura said Konerko should be ready to play Wednesday. Rasmus hit his seventh homer of the season following a leadoff double in the fifth by Brett Lawrie, who’d been moved to the leadoff spot for the first time this season. After a two-out single by Yunel Escobar, Cooper connected to make it 5-1.Humber (2-3) labored with his control from the outset and lasted only five innings, throwing 101 pitches, giving up seven hits, five runs and four walks. He is 1-3 with a 7.38 ERA over eight starts since pitching a perfect game against Seattle on April 21.

“If you allow your struggles to make you stronger, they will. And I’m going to be really strong after all these struggles. Just got to keep fighting,” Humber said. “Right now, I’m not really pulling my share of the rope. Hopefully here pretty soon I’m going to be right back where I need to be. … It’s just an inconsistent feel. I’ll have it one inning and then not have it. Or one game and then not the next game.”

Humber gave up a first-inning single to Rasmus and then walked three of the next four batters, forcing in a run when Cooper drew ball four on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded. The Sox got the run back in the bottom half, thanks to two outfield errors by the Blue Jays. Alejandro De Aza singled and made it to second when left fielder Rajai Davis bobbled the ball. De Aza moved up on a sacrifice and scored when center fielder Rasmus missed Dayan Viciedo’s shallow fly ball for the second error of the inning.The Blue Jays had four straight singles off former teammate Zach Stewart for two more runs in the sixth. Rasmus added an RBI double in the eighth.

NOTES—Romero is now 3-0 in four career starts against the White Sox. … After the game, the Blue Jays optioned RHP Jesse Chavez to Triple-A Las Vegas and will recall 3B Yan Gomes from Las Vegas on Wednesday, his first day available. He was with the club from May 17-26 and optioned on May 27. Chavez struck out seven in five innings of relief in his only appearance with Toronto on May 27 at Texas. He allowed three runs on four hits. … Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion (right wrist) remained out of the lineup Tuesday. He was hit by a pitch in the second inning Sunday and was removed in the fifth. Farrell said he was making progress. …John Danks (left shoulder strain) will throw a side session Wednesday and expects to make a rehab start before being activated from the 15-day DL.

SAN FRANCISCO—Ryan Vogelsong won his fourth straight decision, Buster Posey scored the go-ahead run on a double-play groundball by Joaquin Arias in the seventh inning and the Giants beat the Cubs 3-2 on Monday for a four-game sweep. San Francisco’s starters have gone seven straight games pitching seven or more innings while allowing two or fewer runs, just the second time it has been done since the franchise came West in 1958. Giants pitchers accomplished the feat in nine consecutive games from July 1-10, 1988.In this series, Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Barry Zito had won before Vogelsong’s impressive performance on a rare wraparound getaway game on a Monday. Brandon Crawford hit an RBI double and drove in another run on a fielder’s choice to back Vogelsong (4-2), helping the Giants to their season-best fourth straight victory. San Francisco (31-24) moved a season-high seven games over .500. The Giants began the day trailing NL West-leading Los Angeles by three games. The Dodgers had a night game at Philadelphia. Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol (0-2) was hit with a line drive on Angel Pagan’s infield single in the seventh but stayed in the game after being checked out, then walked Brandon Belt on four pitches to load the bases for Arias.Pagan singled in the fifth for a 28-game home hitting streak, the longest in franchise history since 1900. He tipped his batting helmet and clapped his hands at first base in appreciation following a warm ovation from the sellout crowd of 41,524 on a day that began with sporadic rain in the early innings after the tarp came off late morning.The Giants completed the club’s first sweep of the season in its fifth try — the games decided by five total runs. San Francisco pulled off its first four-game sweep of the Cubs since June 17-20, 1999, at Candlestick Park.

“Pitching was just outstanding,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “We scratched and clawed for the runs we got. These games could have gone either way.” OR NOT!

Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija matched his season high with five walks while striking out six in five innings. The right-hander allowed seven hits and two runs but has only one win in his last five outings. Pinch-hitter Adrian Cardenas hit a one-out double in the seventh for his fifth major league hit — all of them doubles — but the Cubs couldn’t avoid an 11th straight loss away from Wrigley Field. It’s their longest road skid since the 1954 team lost 11 in a row from June 18-29. They also lost a one-run game for the 10th straight time. Pagan’s single in the fifth followed a leadoff walk by Posey, and the Giants loaded the bases with no outs against Samardzija. The Cubs allowed the tying run on a fielder’s choice by Crawford in which second baseman Darwin Barney flipped the ball to shortstop Starlin Castro at second. Castro didn’t throw to first to try for the double play even though he might have had time to save a run.

“It’s something that’s obviously unacceptable at any time,” manager Dale Sveum said. “Whether we could have turned the double play or not is irrelevant to not knowing how many outs there are in the most important part of the game. These things have got to stop happening or he’s going to stop playing. These kind of things are things that my son does in high school maybe.”

Vogelsong allowed four straight singles and five total in the second, including consecutive run-scoring hits by Steve Clevenger and Samardzija. After leadoff man Tony Campana’s single, Vogelsong received a mound visit from pitching coach Dave Righetti before fielding Castro’s grounder and throwing him out on a close play at first. Vogelsong pitched seven innings and didn’t walk a batter for the first time this season. Jeremy Affeldt recorded the final six outs for his first save in his first chance, getting a leaping catch from second baseman Ryan Theriot on Clevenger’s high liner to end it.

NOTES—Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval, rehabbing from surgery to remove a broken hamate bone in his left hand, might not return to the Giants until next Tuesday against Houston following this weekend’s home series with the two-time reigning AL champion Texas Rangers. “We need to get him in shape to play third,” Bochy said. “Hopefully we’re not forced to make a change. That’s in Pablo’s hands.” ….Sveum is a former hitting coach, so the offensive woes have been tough. “You take things like this personally,” he said. “I’ve lost sleep over it. You take pride in a lot of things, and that’s one of them.”

SAN FRANCISCO—Barry Zito pointed his finger at the cheering crowd as he walked off the mound to a standing ovation. Once the target of boos in San Francisco, Zito is hearing nothing but cheers this year from the home crowd.Zito pitched 8 1/3 scoreless innings for his 150th career win and Joaquin Arias snapped an 18 at-bat hitless stretch with an RBI single that led the Giants to a 2-0 victory over the Cubs on Sunday.Angel Pagan scored the game’s first run after doubling to set a Giants record by extending his home hitting streak to 27 games. San Francisco went on to its 12th win in 17 games and moved a season-high six games over .500.Travis Wood (0-2) was the tough-luck loser for the Cubs, allowing just one run and three hits in seven innings as Chicago fell for the 15th time in 18 games. The Cubs have also lost 10 straight road games for their longest skid away from Wrigley Field since dropping 10 in a row in September 2000.

“It’s a broken record,” manager Dale Sveum said. “I don’t know what to say to come up with something different to make it … Just frustrating. I mean, golly. We hit a few balls good. Other than that it wasn’t a lot of good at-bats going on.”

Zito (5-2) was rarely threatened by the struggling Cubs, allowing just four hits and two walks before leaving to a standing ovation after a one-walk to Darwin Barney in the ninth. Sergio Romo finished for his second save.The Cubs got only one runner as far as second base against Zito when Ian Stewart and Reed Johnson hit one-out singles in the fifth. But Zito escaped that jam with a strikeout-double play with Stewart easily being thrown out at third by Hector Sanchez.
After struggling for most of his first five seasons of a $126 million, seven-year contract with the Giants, Zito has been extremely dependable so far this season starting with a shutout his first start at Colorado. He has won four of his past five starts and has lowered his ERA to 2.98 to help make up for the slow start by two-time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum.Zito got a standing ovation when he walked off the mound after the eighth inning and then a big cheer when he batted to lead off the bottom of the inning. The fans booed manager Bruce Bochy’s decision to replace Zito with Romo after 96 pitches.The Giants were held hitless until Pagan drove a ball over left fielder Alfonso Soriano’s head for a one-out double in the fifth. That hit broke the Giants’ home hitting streak record of 26 games set by Mike Donlin in 1905-06, the Giants said in citing the Elias Sports Bureau. Wood then struck out Sanchez before Arias followed with a single to shallow right for his first hit since last Monday.Third-base coach Tim Flannery aggressively waved Pagan home and he slid in safely ahead of Johnson’s one-hop throw that catcher Koyie Hill could not handle to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.The Giants added a run in the eighth when Gregor Blanco scored from first on Cabrera’s hit-and-run single to left. Soriano threw to second on the play and Blanco never stopped running to score.

NOTES—Sanchez stayed in the game despite fouling successive pitches off his left leg in the seventh inning…..The Giants have a major league-low six homers in 28 home games, including none in the past 12 games. That’s tied for the second longest drought since the team moved to San Francisco, behind only a 15-gamer in September 1980. The Giants are 8-4 during the homerless stretch at home….The Cubs fell to 2-11 this season against lefty starters….The Giants go for the four-game sweep Monday when Ryan Vogelsong (3-2) takes on Jeff Samardzija (5-3).

With a worn down bullpen, White Sox manager Robin Ventura gave in to Chris Sale’s request.Sale pitched a five-hitter for his first major league complete game and the Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 Sunday for its 10th win in 11 tries.Sale (7-2) struck out eight and walked two. It was his 10th start this year after pitching in relief during the last two seasons.Sale allowed Ventura to rest his entire bullpen after the Sox used all seven relievers in Saturday’s taxing 12-inning loss. He also lowered his AL-leading ERA from 2.34 to 2.29.Sale entered the ninth with 100 pitches. He allowed a leadoff single by Jesus Montero, but got Justin Smoak to hit into a double play. Dustin Ackley followed with a single and Sale finished the game off by getting Miguel Olivo to strike out after a nine-pitch at-bat. He struck out Olivo on his 119th pitch.In Sale’s previous start, he struck out 15 in 7 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay.Alex Rios drove in two runs for the AL Central leaders.The 23-year-old lanky left-hander had to battle Olivo for the final out. Earlier in the game, Olivo tagged Sale for a long two-run homer.Kevin Millwood (3-5) was beset by control problems. He allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings. He struck out four but walked five.Trailing 2-0 with the bases loaded and two outs in the White Sox second, Brent Lillibridge took a 3-2 pitch that was just off the outside corner to cut the Seattle lead to 2-1. Millwood prevented further damage by getting Gordon Beckham to ground out.Control issues continued for Millwood in the third inning. He issued a leadoff walk to Adam Dunn then hit Dayan Viciedo with a pitch. Rios then tied the game with an RBI single.

“They were close, but they were balls. Once again, I wasn’t locating my fastball very well. For the most part, I was able to keep the ball on the ground, but they found some holes. I walked too many guys. Just wasn’t able to make pitches when I needed to,” Millwood said.

The White Sox took the lead in the fourth. Flowers and Eduardo Escobar singled and Beckham hit an RBI single.With two outs, Rios hit a hard grounder that ricocheted off Millwood’s foot. Shortstop Brendan Ryan fielded the ball and made an off-balance throw that was too late to get Rios, allowing another run.

NOTES—Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez (tweaked back) “still feels it today” and is limited with his activity, according to Wedge. Wedge believes Hernandez will make his next scheduled start on Wednesday. He plans on making the decision on Monday….White Sox CF Alejandro De Aza missed the game because of illness….Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski had the day off….Kosuke Fukudome, who got a rare start, left the game early because of back stiffness.

ROSEMONT—On a Sunday afternoon that honored the late Johnie Kirton, the Rush (7-4) used a fumble recovery by his friend Kelvin Morris in the first quarter to widen the lead on way to a 73-62 victory over the Spokane Shock (6-5). 6,418 fans at Allstate Arena witnessed quarterback Russ Michna set Rush single-game franchise records for completions (32), passing yards (412) and touchdown passes (9).Despite eight first half penalties by the Rush, Michna weathered through a first possession field goal drive to kick his game into record setting fashion. After throwing two incompletions on the first drive, Michna tossed only four incompletions the rest of the way. His prettiest pass came on the second offensive drive, squeezing in a pass between Spokane’s Paul Stephens and Marc Schiechl that landed in the hands of Jared Perry for an early 10-6 advantage.

“We share the wealth,” said Perry discussing the Rush wide receiving core, “Reggie(Gray) and me just talk about making plays all game long and we were able to get all four of (the wide receivers) involved early in the game.”

The ensuing possession is where Kelvin Morris (3 tackles), who switched his jersey number this week to Kirton’s 37, forced and recovered a fumble from Shock WR Steven Black that set up a 36-yard pass from Michna to Terrance Turner. Two second quarter touchdown scores by Gray and Terrance Turner sustained the two possession advantage on way to a 31-20 halftime lead.Second half adjustments worked for the Shock as they sprinted out of the break with a 41-yard touchdown grab by Steven Black (7 catches, 111 yards, 2 TD). The dynamic wide out continued his supreme catching by twirling for another sideline catch teeing up the first of three BrandonThompkins (9 catches, 113 yards, 4 TD) touchdowns in the second half. However, no matter the pace the Shock set in the second half, they were never able to make the deficit smaller than four points.The inability to move closer stemmed from Rush signal caller Michna (32-38, 412 yards, 9 TD) who continued his torrid performance in the second half. Making mince meat of the Shock secondary, Michna eclipsed the Chicago franchise record for passing touchdowns in a game by throwing his 9th to Perry at the nine-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

“I feel that way every week,” stated Michna when asked about when he thought today would be a big day. “This offense reacts so well on the run it becomes an easier game. There are only so many things a defense can do.”

The Rush defense answered the playmaking call by forcing three turnovers on the night, two of which came from a secondary that has seen eleven different starters this season. Defensive Player of the Game Semaj Moody intercepted Kyle Rowley late in the second quarter to keep the early 11-point lead safe. Perhaps the most important turnover came from Brian Lainhart, who intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter for the second straight week and gave backup quarterback Luke Drone the ammunition to take a 2-yard run into the end zone for the largest lead of the night.The 18-point lead was safe for the last six minutes of the fourth quarter, even after Rowley (29-40, 402 yards, 8 TD, 2 INT) threw his eighth touchdown of the game to close the game back to within 11. His main target on the night was Adron Tennell, who took advantage of Rush newcomer Leslie Majors to the tune of 10 catches and 153 yards, but only one touchdown.The victory gives the Rush their seventh win of the year and ignites confidence as they look ahead to a tough road matchup against the Utah Blaze (7-5) on June 9th.

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game – CHI Jared Perry

Riddell Defensive Player of the Game – CHI Semaj Moody

JLS Ironman of the Game – SPO Terrance Sanders

AFL Playmaker of the Game – CHI Russ Michna

Cutters Catch of the Game – CHI Jared Perry’s TD reception that pushed Russ Michna to the Chicago Rush single-game record for passing touchdowns

Spalding Highlight of the Game – SPO Terrance Sanders 55-yard kickoff return for a touchdown

National Guard MVP – CHI Russ Michna