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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andre Rienzo started playing baseball in Brazil because his mother played softball. He fell in love with it even though all the kids around him were kicking around a soccer ball. On Wednesday night, he may have inspired other youngsters back home to pick up a glove. The White Sox rookie pitched six innings and took advantage of a five-run frame highlighted by Dayan Viciedos grand slam for a 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals. It gave Rienzo the first win for a pitcher from his South American country where baseball is nary a second thought. "Brazil is just about soccer. Im trying to open doors," explained Rienzo, whose brothers also play baseball back home. "Its all soccer, soccer, soccer. I hope that I will open doors and people will see more guys playing baseball." Rienzo (1-0) allowed only a sacrifice fly to Mike Moustakas while slicing through a scuffling Royals lineup. The right-hander allowed just five hits and two walks in helping the White Sox win their season-best fifth straight game. Addison Reed worked the ninth for his second save of the series and 33rd on the year. "Again, its just one of those nights where he battled," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Rienzo, who earned his first career win in his fifth big league start. "He gave up a couple walks but he was able to fight his way out of it, get a groundball when he needed it. Just a good, gutsy job by him. Once you get him that lead, he just kind of worked it." Viciedos grand slam off Jeremy Guthrie (12-10) in the fourth followed an RBI single by Adam Dunn that had given the White Sox the lead. Their five runs in the frame matched the number of runs the Royals woeful offence had mustered in the previous 22 innings. David Lough drove in another run for the Royals in the sixth, but that was all they managed in another lacklustre offensive performance. They finished with six hits on the night. The Royals were shut out by John Danks and the White Sox bullpen in the series opener, and their inability to get anybody home has been the biggest reason theyve lost four straight and seven of their last nine. That calamitous slide has dropped Kansas City from wild-card contention after climbing within four games of the final spot just over a week ago. "We have just not played well. Theres no rhyme or reason," designated hitter Billy Butler said. "In 162 games its going to happen. Were in a tough stretch and were just not hitting. Were not getting guys in when we have them in position." On this night, it was Rienzo who took a turn breezing through the Royals. The 25-year-old from Sao Paulo, one of just two Brazilians in the big leagues, didnt allow a hit until back-to-back singles in the fourth. He allowed another in the fifth and two in the sixth. Otherwise, he was basically untouchable -- just as he had been in the minors. After rocketing through two levels last season, Rienzo began catching the eye of White Sox brass at Triple-A Charlotte. He was 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA over his last four starts, including a no-hitter on July 25 -- just before his call-up to the big league team. Rienzos rise hasnt been without controversy, though. He was suspended for 50 games early last season after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The smile on his face Wednesday night seemed to indicate that incident is long in the past. "Viciedo hit the grand slam. The defence played great. Im glad," Rienzo said. Guthrie wasnt feeling nearly as pleased in the Kansas City clubhouse. He threw 72 of 100 pitches for strikes, an exceptionally high rate, but couldnt get many hitters to miss them. After winning four straight, hes been savagely roughed up in his last three starts. He gave up five runs on 10 hits in a loss to Boston a couple weeks ago, and four runs on a career-high 13 hits at Detroit in another defeat his last time out. "I dug myself into a big hole," Guthrie said. "I made mistakes tonight." NOTES: Viciedo finished with three hits for Chicago. ... The White Sox optioned OF Blake Tekotte to Triple-A Charlotte after the game. Theyll make a corresponding roster move Wednesday. ... Guthrie threw a pitch in the second inning that slipped past C Salvador Perez and got lost in the padding around advertisements behind home plate. The exact same thing happened to a passed ball thrown by Royals RHP Ervin Santana the previous night. ... White Sox LHP Jose Quintana goes to the mound in the series finale on Thursday night. RHP James Shields gets the start for Kansas City. Jason Marshall Jersey . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Stitched Ducks Jerseys . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. https://www.cheapducks.com/597c-teemu-selanne-jersey-ducks.html . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Max Comtois Jersey . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. John Gibson Jersey . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. CHICAGO -- The St. Louis Cardinals are further down than usual in the NL Central standings. Still, they may see the major league-leading Chicago Cubs in October, and theyre coming out of a four-game series at Wrigley Field with some extra confidence.Stephen Piscotty hit a three-run homer, Brandon Moss followed with a solo shot one out later and the Cardinals used a five-run eighth inning to beat the Cubs 6-4 on Sunday night.Piscotty hit his 17th homer off setup man Hector Rondon (2-3), who entered with a 3-1 lead in his first appearance since Aug. 2 because of a triceps injury. After pinch-hitter Kolten Wong and Greg Garcia singled, Piscotty lofted a shot to deep left-center field that put the Cardinals ahead 4-3 in front of 41,019 silenced fans.Moss added his 21st homer, then Randal Grichuk doubled in a run off Travis Wood.Any time youre playing a good team like that late in the game, its just more dramatic, Piscotty said. A great way to bounce back.We kind of know what our role is going forward, he added. Were fighting for that wild-card spot. Hopefully, this gives us some momentum.The Cardinals split a four-game series with Chicago, which dropped its second straight following an 11-game winning streak. St. Louis trails Chicago by 12 games in the division but also has a half-game lead on Miami for the second wild-card spot, keeping the Cards in line for a sixth straight playoff appearance.Weve been down quite a few times early, and guys just keep playing the game and thats something Im extremely proud about this club, manager Mike Matheny said.Cubs starter John Lackey allowed only one unearned run and four hits before leaving with two outs in the seventh with muscle stiffness. Chicago doesnt consider the injury serious.Believe me, Ive been through a lot worse, the 37-year-old Lackey said. I dont know, maybe an (its an) old thing.Rondon said he felt really good. He just didnt have his normal command.I know I missed the location and they got me, he said.Anthony Rizzo went 3 for 4 with a solo homer and three RBI, and Ben Zobrist knocked in a run with a sac fly.Lackey was sailing along and struck out five in his fourth straight solid start. But the right-hander grimaced in pain after throwing a pitch to Grichuk, walked off the field and was replaced by Justin Grimm. The reliever then struck out Grichuk.Were in a fortunate situation with the kind of (division) lead we have, Lackey said. We kind of have the leeway to do some things. Were just checking games off the schedule.Matt Bowman (2-4) got three outs in the seventh -- and got out of a bases-load jam -- in relief of Mike Leake for the win.dddddddddddd Leake allowed three runs on six hits in six innings and retired 16 in a row over one stretch despite entering with a 9.00 ERA in his previous four starts.Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh got the final five outs, including three strikeouts in the ninth, for his 11th save in 12 chances.Leake settled into a pitchers duel with Lackey with a little help from his defense.St. Louis third baseman Jhonny Peralta made a diving stop, rolled and threw to first in one motion on Addison Russells sharp grounder in the fourth.Kris Bryant ended Leakes run with a triple to right-center with one out in the sixth. He scored on Rizzos second RBI single to make it 3-1.After the Cardinals took a 6-3 lead in the eighth, Rizzo hit his 25th homer in the bottom half.LETS PLAY TWOCubs manager Joe Maddon says hed have no problem with MLB shortening the season by adding more doubleheaders, but not drawn-out day-night twinbills. Maddon would be for second games starting 30 minutes after the end of the first, and for teams adding two players to their rosters.I think the fans would dig it, too, said Maddon, while noting he understands the economics of day-night doubleheaders with separate admissions. If you have to put a premium on the price tag, I dont know.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: OF Matt Holliday (broken right thumb) is expected to be re-examined by the teams hand specialist on Monday. ... St. Louis LHP Kevin Siegrist left after striking out Zobrist in the eight with an apparent injury and was replaced by Oh. Kevins had a lot of work and that was precautionary more than anything else, Matheny said.Cubs: Rondon said before the game he was 100 percent ready, but allowed four runs in 1/3 of an inning.UP NEXTCardinals: Following a day off Monday, LHP Jaime Garcia (9-8, 3.93) opens a two-game set in Houston against LHP Dallas Keuchel (7-11, 4.56). St. Louis also has Thursday off, but manager Mike Matheny plans no changes to his strained rotation.Cubs: Chicago also has Monday off, then hosts Milwaukee in a day-night doubleheader Tuesday. RHP Trevor Cahill (1-3, 3.07) is expected to come off the DL (right knee tendinitis) and start in the opener against Brewers RHP Matt Garza (4-4, 4.83). Chicagos Jason Hammel (12-5, 2.90) is 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA since the All-Star break and will take the mound in the nightcap against RHP Chase Anderson (7-10, 4.93). ' ' '