Floyd pitches eight solid innings as White Sox hand O's 5th loss in row

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Rather than express disappointment over falling three outs short of a complete game, Gavin Floyd relished his 14th win.

And why not? That's six more victories than the right-hander had over his entire career before finding success in his fifth season in the big leagues.

Floyd pitched eight innings of four-hit ball, Nick Swisher homered, and the Chicago White Sox handed the Baltimore Orioles their fifth straight loss, 8-3 on Tuesday night.

Orlando Cabrera went 4-for-5 with two RBIs for the first-place White Sox, who have won eight of 10 to move a season-high 20 games over .500 (76-56). Chicago had nine extra-base hits, including a season high-tying seven doubles.

Floyd (14-6) allowed two runs, struck out four and walked one during a 98-pitch effort.

"Fourteen is nice," he said. "I'm just trying to finish this season strong and hopefully get in the playoffs. I'm 0-0 in my mind after every start. I try to go out there and not really pay attention to that."

Pitching less than six miles from where he played in high school, Floyd retired the side in order five times.

"I loved spending time with my family," he said. "It's been a good time."

Although he failed to get his third career complete game, Floyd improved to 4-0 in his last six starts. Asked if he was disheartened about not going nine innings, the 25-year-old replied, "I wasn't really thinking about it. I was just trying to go out and get people out. I went long in the game and at least saved a couple of guys [in the bullpen]."

Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said of Floyd: "This kid is an animal. You see him throw in the bullpen session and he is a strong kid and he has the same pace and concentration in the game. This kid has a chance to have a good career."

Adam Russell gave up two hits and a run in the ninth.

Floyd came in with an AL-high 6.85 run support average, and the White Sox continued the trend. Swisher hit his 22nd homer, the fifth in seven games, and Ken Griffey Jr. went 2-for-4 with an RBI in his 2,500th career game.

Luke Scott drove in two runs for the Orioles, who fell to 1-7 on a homestand that began with three-game series against Boston and the New York Yankees.

Scott's seventh-inning single got Baltimore to 7-2, but he was impressed by the way Floyd cruised through the Orioles lineup.

"He changed speeds and threw three pitches for strikes -- his fastball, his slider and curveball," Scott said. "His curveball is a great strikeout pitch. He moved the ball around, pitched to contact. He did a good job."

Recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start against the White Sox, Brian Burres (7-8) gave up six runs, five earned, and 10 hits -- six for extra bases -- in five innings.

"I didn't really give my team a chance," the left-hander said.

Cabrera opened the game with a double, and Swisher hit Burres' next pitch into the seats in left. After Carlos Quentin singled, Jermaine Dye hit a towering drive that center fielder Jay Payton caught on the warning track for the first out. Burres then threw a wild pitch but retired the side without further damage.

"It definitely didn't start out how I wanted it to," Burres said, "and I never really got a hold of it."

In the second inning, however, a throwing error by Burres led to a sacrifice fly by Cabrera for a 3-0 lead.

A sacrifice fly by Alexei Ramirez made it 4-0 in the third, and Chicago added two fourth-inning runs when Cabrera hit an RBI triple and scored on a double by Quentin, his 100th RBI of the season.

Baltimore got a run in the fourth when Brian Roberts singled and scored on a double by Nick Markakis.

Dye hit an RBI double in the sixth off Randor Bierd, and Griffey singled in a run in the eighth for an 8-2 lead.

Game notes
Swisher left in the fourth inning after fouling a ball off his left leg. ... The Orioles have been outscored 112-77 in the first inning and have allowed a first-inning run in 11 of the last 15 games. ... Baltimore's Ramon Hernandez went 0-for-3, ending his career-best hitting streak at 15 games.