Juan Pierre delivered an RBI double in the 10th inning as the Chicago White Sox avoided their second disappointing loss of the day by posting a 7-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the first doubleheader between the teams since 1983.

Ramon Castro hit a two-run homer and Alex Rios also had two RBIs for the White Sox, who won for just the fifth time in 15 games.

After squandering a four-run lead and losing the first game in extra innings, Chicago blew a pair of advantages in the nightcap before finally emerging victorious. Gordon Beckham led off the 10th with a single, advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Pierre's double off Greg Holland (0-1).

J.J. Putz (6-5) retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning after allowing a game-tying RBI single with two outs in the ninth by Game 1 hero Yuniesky Betancourt, who tied the opener with a grand slam in the seventh and won it with a base hit in the 11th.

Rios and Mark Kotsay each drove in a run in the first inning and Alexei Ramirez, who extended his hitting streak to 15 games in the opening frame, lifted a sacrifice fly in the fourth for a 3-0 Chicago advantage.

The Royals moved ahead in the bottom of the inning as Billy Butler highlighted a four-run burst with a two-run double. The White Sox rallied for three runs in the sixth, two of which came on Castro's seventh homer of the year, to take a 6-4 lead.

Gregor Blanco hit his second career homer and first since 2008 for the Royals, who hosted a doubleheader with the White Sox for the first time since July 26, 1973.