O's offense breaks out, Schoop returns with a homer in win at Chicago

The Orioles got another solid starting pitching outing - and this time, they backed it with some runs. Caleb Joseph drove in three and Jonathan Schoop returned from the disabled list with a homer as the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 9-1.

The Orioles had been held to just six runs over the previous four games.

The White Sox were trying for their first home three-game sweep of the Orioles since May 2003. But the Orioles got the win to improve to 43-39 and move within a game of the first-place Yankees, who lost to Tampa Bay, in the American League East.

After scoring in just one of their past 28 innings to start today, the Orioles scored single runs in the first two innings off left-hander Carlos Rodon to lead 2-0. In the first, Nolan Reimold reached second on a double error charged to third baseman Conor Gillaspie, then scored when Adam Jones doubled to end an 0-for-11 stretch. In the second, in his first big league at-bat since April 17, Schoop homered to left on 0-1 pitch for the 2-0 lead. He has four homers in 10 games.

The O's made it 4-0 in the sixth as Steve Pearce and Jimmy Paredes started that inning with singles to end Rodon's day. Two outs later, Joseph's two-run double off Daniel Webb made it 4-0. Joseph is now batting .350 (14-for-40) with runners in scoring position.

After Melky Cabrera's RBI double in the last of the sixth, the O's put this game away with a four-run seventh that was aided by two Chicago errors. The inning featured RBI singles by Chris Davis and Pearce and an RBI groundout from Joseph.

It became 9-1 when a Davis sac fly plated Jones after his second double of the day. Davis was robbed of another homer. This time it was J.B. Shuck in left field who leaped at the wall to rob him, but at least today he got an RBI out of it. Today, Davis picked up his 50th and 51st RBIs. Jones added two doubles, Schoop drove in two and Pearce had three hits.

Miguel Gonzalez got the win, going six innings and giving up one run on four hits. He is now now 7-5 with an ERA of 3.87. Gonzalez, who had thrown just 13 2/3 innings in his previous three games, now has six quality starts.

Over the last five games, O's starting pitchers have an ERA of 1.69

The Orioles now head to Minnesota. On Monday night, they begin a three-game series there, as Wei-Yin Chen (4-4, 2.84 ERA) faces right-hander Phil Hughes (7-6, 4.27 ERA).