A.J. Pierzynski scored the winning run on a walk-off balk lifting the Chicago White Sox to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the opening game of their three-game series in Chicago.

Aaron Crow, who gave up a 2-run homer to Adam Dunn in eighth inning to give the Sox the lead, was called for the balk. Eric Hosmer tied the game in the ninth with a lead off homer off White Sox closer Sergio Santos. It was first ruled a triple but after it was contested by manager Ned Yost and later reviewed, ruled a homer.

The Royals jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the Sox thanks in part to Jeff Franceour’s 2-run homer in the first.

The Royals played the game without left fielder Alex Gordon who was hit by a pitch in the knee the day before in Denver.

Felipe Paulino looks for his first win in a Royals uniform tonight. Royals pre-game at 6:35pm on KAYS.