KANSAS CITY -- Andre Rienzo stood in front of his locker a day before taking the mound against the Royals, smiling ear to ear as he spoke about how every day of his life as a Major Leaguer was like a dream.
With outings like Tuesday, his dream won't be ending any time soon.
Rienzo (4.00 ERA) moved to 4-0 on the season in the White Sox 7-5 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, in one of the Brazilian's best outings as a Major Leaguer. He lasted six innings, allowed five hits and two runs and stuck out a career-high eight.
 
Rienzo improves to 4-0 with victory over Royals
 
Trailing, 2-1, after four, Chicago scored three runs in the fifth, an inning highlighted by a solo homer for Tyler Flowers and three wild pitches by Kansas City starter Yordano Ventura.
Adam Dunn tacked on a three-run home run in the top of the eighth for insurance.
The Royals made it interesting with three runs in the bottom of the frame to squeeze the White Sox lead to 7-5. Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain picked up RBIs, and Cain manufactured the third run with steals of second and third before coming home on a Frank Francisco wild pitch.
A pair of two-out hits started the scoring for Chicago in the first. Conor Gillaspie smacked a triple into the right-field corner and Dayan Viciedo knocked him in with a line-drive single to center.
After a 1-2-3 first, Rienzo ran into trouble in the second. He walked leadoff batter Billy Butler, then hit Gordon. Danny Valencia drove Gordon and Butler in with an opposite-field two-run double to put Kansas City ahead, 2-1.
Both pitchers clamped down in the third and fourth, twirling shutout frames.
The White Sox three-run fifth started with a home run for Flowers.
Flowers launched a 1-2 curveball over the left-field fence to tie the score at 2. Then Gordon was unable to make a diving play on an Adam Eaton line drive, and the speedy center fielder turned it into a double.
To this point, Ventura's control had been pinpoint. It was less so for the rest of the inning.
He threw his first wild pitch with Gordon Beckham at the plate and Eaton advanced to third. With the infield drawn in, Beckham hit a chopper that Valencia leapt for but couldn't snare, giving Chicago a 3-2 lead. With Gillaspie at the plate, Ventura threw his second wild pitch, sending Beckham to second. Gillaspie grounded out for the second out, but moved Beckham to third. Ventura's third wild pitch came versus Viciedo, and Beckham scampered home to push the lead to 4-2.
Rienzo cruised into the sixth with the second inning his only blemish. In the other four innings, Rienzo allowed two baserunners, zero runs and struck out six.
But Kansas City finally concocted a rally with Rienzo's pitch count rising. Gordon and Valencia each reached via singles, and with two outs newly-appointed starting second baseman Pedro Ciriaco had the task of preserving the rally. But he lined out sharply to third for the final out.
Rienzo displayed some emotion after he struck out Eric Hosmer to end the fifth, then when Gillaspie snagged the final out of the sixth. Both times he gave an emphatic slap of the glove and celebratory a shout.
Gillaspie, who sat out Monday's 7-6 win with lefty Jason Vargas on the hill, collected three hits, bumping his average to .347 this season. Beckham rapped out three hits as well.
Dunn's seventh homer of the year came off reliever Aaron Crow in the top of the eighth. The three-run moonshot to center scored Gillaspie and Beckham.
Right-hander Ronald Belisario, subbing for injured closer Matt Lindstrom, got two outs in the ninth but Butler lofted a double to right field. He took third on a passed ball and scored on Gordon's single.
Jarrod Dyson ran for Gordon and promptly took off, stealing second base. Flowers' throw made it close and White Sox manager Robin Ventura asked for a replay, but the verdict was that umpire Eric Cooper's safe call stood. Belisario then struck out Cain to end the game.
Jackson Alexander / MLB.com
 

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