Alvarez, Machado lead Orioles past White Sox, 7-5

CHICAGO (AP) Pedro Alvarez is settling in quite nicely in the American League.

Alvarez hit two solo shots to extend his homer streak to three and the Baltimore Orioles had 16 hits to overpower the Chicago White Sox 7-5 on Friday night.

Alvarez has five homers in his last three games and six in his last five to help the Orioles keep pace with Toronto for first place in the AL East. He signed with Baltimore in March as a free agent after six seasons with Pittsburgh,

''You're facing different pitchers,'' Alvarez said. ''You've got to face them a couple of times before you get more comfortable.

''Your best teacher is experience and you get experience by getting repetitions. With every rep that I get, I feel more and more comfortable.''

Alvarez, who homered twice against the Rangers on Tuesday and once Thursday, upped his total to 18. He has three multi-homer games this season and 13 for his career.

Manny Machado doubled in two runs and scored in the third in a three-hit night, and Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy also had three hits each to help the Orioles win for the fourth time in five games.

''(Alvarez) and J.J. (Hardy) have stepped up a time where some guys we knew they wouldn't be able to continue at the pace they were going,'' manager Buck Showalter said. ''He's not trying to hit home runs, too. He's just trying to put a good swing on the ball and be selective.''

Yovani Gallardo (4-3) pitched six innings of two-run ball for his first victory since June 29.

The White Sox touched up Gallardo for two runs in the fourth, but that was it as he scattered seven hits and walked only one. In his previous six starts, the right-hander was 0-2 with four no-decisions, allowing 20 runs in 32 innings.

''We felt that Yovani, once he got healthy would be a contributor and tonight was an example of that,'' Showalter said.

Gallardo has been rounding back into shape after a stint on disabled list with right shoulder tendinitis earlier this season.

Zach Britton struck out three in the ninth for his 34th save in 34 chances. Abreu reached first with two outs after swinging at a low pitch that got away, then Justin Morneau grounded out to first to end the game.

Gallardo credited command and getting ahead of hitters for his solid outing on Friday. He was glad he wasn't facing Alvarez.

''From playing against him, when he seeing the ball well, it's tough,'' Gullardo said ''He's not easy to pitch to. From Day One it was a good pick for us and he showed it.''

Chicago's Jose Abreu went deep for the second straight game after 32 contests without a homer, and Avisail Garcia had two RBIs. The White Sox have lost seven of nine.

Miguel Gonzalez (2-6) allowed four runs - three earned - on 10 hits in six innings in his first start against the Orioles, his former team.

''I know what they are capable of doing,'' Gonzalez said. ''They have a great lineup. You can't give in.''

Alvarez's drive to center in the second to put Baltimore ahead 1-0.

The Orioles extended it to 4-0 in the third. Machado lined a double to the right-center gap to drive in two runs, then he came home on Tyler Saladino's wild throw following Mark Trumbo's infield single.

The White Sox cut it to 4-2 in the fourth on Abreu's solo shot and Garcia's RBI double.

Alvarez smacked a long drive to right off reliever Tommy Kahnle in the eighth to start a three-run rally that allowed the Orioles to pull away.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Baltimore: LHP Wade Miley, who took a line drive off his left calf and limped off the mound to conclude a lackluster first start with the Orioles on Thursday night, ''should be OK'' and not miss a turn in the rotation, according to manager Buck Showalter. ... OF Joey Rickard, on the DL since July 22 (right thumb), has reported to the Orioles' spring training facility in Sarasota, Florida to begin rehab.

White Sox: Rookie SS Tim Anderson (bruised left hand) didn't start Friday and is out day-to-day. He left in the first inning of Chicago's 6-3 win at Detroit on Thursday after being hit by pitch.

UP NEXT: Orioles ace righty Chris Tillman (14-3, 3.46) faces Chicago LHP Carlos Rodon (2-8, 4.67) on Saturday night. Tillman, looking to join Toronto's J.A. Happ and Washington's Stephen Strasburg as a 15-game winner, is 0-1 in his last two starts after winning four straight. Rodon makes his second start after returning last Sunday from the DL with a sprained right wrist.