MLB: Chicago White Sox 9, Boston 5

BOSTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Jayson Nix and Carlos Quentin led Chicago to eight runs over the first three frames Thursday and the White Sox avoided a four-game sweep by downing Boston 9-5.

The White Sox ended a four-game losing streak and broke a second-place tie with Minnesota in the American League Central. Chicago trails Detroit by four games for the division lead.

Boston's advantage in the wild-card race dwindled to 1 ½ games over Texas, which earlier in the day became the first visiting team in more than two months to win a series over the New York Yankees. Boston trails the Yankees by five games in the AL East.

Chicago scored four times in both the second and third innings. Nix drove in two runs with a double in the second and had an RBI single in the third. Quentin hit a two-run homer in the third, his 15th blast of the season.

The quick start helped give the win to John Danks (12-8), who allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings.

A late-inning Boston rally featuring two solo homers from J.D. Drew and another by Alex Gonzalez fell short.

Junichi Tazawa (2-3) suffered the loss after being roughed up for nine runs on 10 hits in four innings. His ERA rose from 3.57 to 6.65.