Courtney Hawkins hit two two-run home runs Saturday, including the game-winning walk-off shot, to give the Chicago White Sox a 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Hawkins connected (4) off Brandon Finnegan with Carlos Sanchez on second to break the 4-4 tie with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
With his team down 4-2 in the seventh, Hawkins hit his first of two bombs on the day to tie the game at 4-4. Adam Eaton, who singled home Sanchez with the first run of the inning, scored ahead of Hawkins. Just two innings earlier, the White Sox started their comeback when Jose Abreu drove home Eaton with a sacrifice fly. The White Sox had trailed 4-0 when they came to bat in the fifth.
Kansas City built that four-run lead on a solo shot from Brett Eibner (3) in the top of the second, a Brad Penny wild pitch that scored Erik Kratz in the third, and a Kratz two-run blast (2) in the fifth. The Royals would score no more.
Daniel Webb (W: 1-1, 6.14 ERA) pitched a perfect top of the ninth to pick up the win. Penny started and allowed three earned runs on five hits in four innings. He struck out one and gave up Eibner's home run.
Finnegan (L: 0-1, 8.53) came into the game in the eighth. He pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits, the Sanchez single and Hawkins game-winner in the ninth. Joe Blanton was very effective in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed one earned run on six hits while walking two and striking out three. Franklin Morales got charged with a blown save (1) by giving up the three seventh-inning runs, including Hawkins's first long ball.
On Sunday, the White Sox visit the Milwaukee Brewers while Kansas City hosts a San Francisco Giants split squad.