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Liriano Earns 1st Win With White Sox As Chicago Beats Toronto 7-2

TORONTO (AP)—Alex Rios hit a three-run homer against his former team and Francisco Liriano earned his first victory with the Chicago White Sox, 7-2 over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.

Tyler Flowers, Dayan Viciedo, Alexei Ramirez and Dewayne Wise all hit solo home runs as the White Sox matched a season high by going deep five times. Chicago has hit 27 home runs in its past 13 games. The power surge helped Chicago win its first series in Toronto since 2006.

Viciedo and Flowers hit consecutive long balls in the fifth inning, the eighth time this season the White Sox have gone back-to-back.

Play was halted for 4 minutes in the seventh while a fan received medical attention and was taken away on a stretcher. Ambulance sirens could be heard outside the stadium as the fan was carted off, still receiving CPR. There was no word on the fan's condition.

Liriano (4-10) allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1-3 innings to win for the first time since July 6 at Texas, while pitching for Minnesota. The left-hander, who walked one and struck out six, was traded to Chicago on July 28.

Liriano came in 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA in five career games against Toronto, but kept the Blue Jays in check after a two-run, three-hit second inning, retiring 13 straight batters in one stretch.

Jesse Crain got two outs, Brett Myers worked the eighth and Philip Humber finished for Chicago.

Trailing 2-0 on Moises Sierra's second home run, Chicago halved its deficit in the third when Wise hit a one-out drive to right, his fifth of the year and second in two days.

The White Sox took the lead in the fifth when Viciedo led off with his 19th homer and second in two days, and Flowers followed two pitches later with a towering drive into the fourth deck in left, his fourth.

It was the fourth time this season the Blue Jays have allowed back-to-back home runs.

Chicago broke it open with a four-run eighth. After Kevin Youkilis singled and Adam Dunn walked, Rios drilled his 19th home run, connecting off Darren Oliver. One out later, Ramirez launched a second deck homer off Brandon Lyon, his sixth.

Aaron Laffey (3-4) allowed three runs and three hits in six innings to lose for the third time in four starts.

Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion was scratched from the lineup with pain in his left shoulder and wrist after a diving play in the outfield Wednesday. Encarnacion has made just three appearances in the outfield this season.

NOTES: Chicago's last series win at Rogers Centre came when they took two of three in August, 2006. ... Toronto OF Jose Bautista (left wrist) hit in the cage Wednesday and is expected to take batting practice on the field Saturday and Sunday. If all goes well, Bautista could begin a minor league rehab assignment Monday. ... Blue Jays 3B Brett Lawrie (strained right oblique) is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Class-A Dunedin on Saturday and could be activated off the DL in time to return Tuesday when Toronto opens a three-game series at Detroit. ... With Gordon Beckham getting a day off and Orlando Hudson (toe) nursing an injury, Ray Olmedo made his first start at second base since Sept. 30, 2006. Hudson left Wednesday's game after fouling a ball off his left foot. ... Chicago OF Alejandro De Aza was given the day off.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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