Philip Humber was at a loss after failing to get a win despite being staked to a 4-1 lead on Thursday night.

"I just wasn't very good,'' Humber said after giving up five runs in 4 1/3 innings in the White Sox' 11-8 victory against the Minnesota Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. "I don't know, man. I didn't command anything from the start. It's hard to figure out what's going on."

The Sox hit five home runs, including a grand slam by Alejandro De Aza after De Aza had a homer taken away by video replay in his previous at-bat. A.J. Pierzynski, Paul Konerko, Alex Rios and Dayan Viciedo also homered.

"I'm glad the team picked me up,'' said Humber (5.80 ERA), who hasn't won since his perfect game in Seattle and hasn't won at home in 12 starts, dating to June 12 against Oakland. "Great job by the lineup and the bullpen. I'm very disappointed with my effort."

The Sox have won six of their last seven games and brace themselves for a three-game series with the first-place Cleveland Indians in the AL Central. The Indians are coming off a three-game sweep of the AL Central favorite Detroit Tigers.

Konerko hit his 10th homer of the season and has stayed on a tear despite missing two games after getting hit near the eye by a pitch from the Cubs' Jeff Samardzija on Friday. He is 19-for-34 (.559) with four homers and nine RBI in his current 10-game hitting streak. The homer was the 45th of his career against the Twins, an opponent high for him.

De Aza's slam, the first of his career, highlighted a six-run sixth.

"It's big,'' manager Robin Ventura said. "We have kind of had those innings where we've given up a crooked number, to be able to come back the way we did. De Aza's grand slam, that's a big one for us. We haven't really had that inning where we cash them all in. It's nice to do that, just kind of keep it going. Rios and Paulie had a night, too.''

"Once you see a teammate hit a home run, you want to hit a home run,'' said De Aza, who has four as the leadoff man.

The homers by Pierzynski, Konerko and Rios -- who homered for the second consecutive night -- came against right-hander Cole De Vries, who was making his major league debut.

Sox relievers Nate Jones, Jesse Crain and Matt Thornton were not scored on, although Jones gave up a two-run single to Brian Dozier that was charged to Humber. Will Ohman and Addison Reed each gave up a home run to Justin Morneau.

Just when the White Sox were turning a corner...
Just when John Danks was making some strides...
The injury bug has reared its ugly head.
"Seems like if it's not one thing it's something else at this point,'' said Danks, who is headed to the 15-day disabled list with soreness in the the back of his left shoulder.
An MRI was performed, and Danks and manager Robin Ventura do not believe the problem area, the subscapularis - a major muscle in the rotator cuff - presents a serious issue. The optimistic expectation is that Danks goes on the DL retroactive to Sunday, will miss starts against the Indians at home Friday and the Rays at Tampa on Wednesday before returning to pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 5 at U.S. Cellular Field.
"We're just getting out in front of it and making sure we take care of him,'' Ventura said.
Left-hander Jose Quintana will be called up from AAA Charlotte to pitch in Danks' spot against the Indians on Friday night when the Sox open a three-game series against the AL Central leaders. Quintana pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-hit relief in Cleveland on May 7. He'll likely get two starts.
Danks said he first experienced trouble in the shoulder in his start against the Cubs on Saturday. After pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings, he was taken out after 83 pitches. Ventura said after the game that Danks looked "a little fatigued.'' Danks kept the problem quiet and hoped to pitch his way through it.
Danks told general manager Ken Williams, Ventura and trainer Herm Schneider that he could pitch Friday, but after discussing it with them, "better to be safe than sorry,'' Danks said.
"I'm bummed about it but I'm looking forward to getting healthy,'' Danks said. "I'll be well-rested for the second half of the season.''
Danks (3-4, 5.70), who signed a $65 million, five-year contract extension during the offseason and was the Sox' Opening Day starter, has the seventh-highest ERA.
"I think it was one of those where he kind of felt it, and every day since then, he's been noticing it,'' Ventura said. "It's nothing serious, but nothing we really want to mess with this early in the season.''
The oddity is that Danks' velocity was back up against the Cubs after it had been slightly down before that. His command was better, too.
"I was hoping [the Cubs game] would be a jump-start to the season, and now here we are,'' Danks said
"I'm just going to try and stay positive, get my work in, get healthy and be healthy for June up.''

It has become increasingly evident that rookie Addison Reed will be the White Sox closer sooner rather than later. Before Wednesday's game against the Twins, manager Robin Ventura made it official.

"Yeah. I'll say that,'' Ventura said before the Sox played the Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. "He's earned that and I feel comfortable putting him in there.''

Aside from a six-run blowup against the Royals, Reed has been unscored on in every outing. He has four saves in four opportunities since May 5, including one on Friday against the Cubs, and he pitched the ninth inning in Sunday's win against the Cubs in a non-save situation. Reed has 17 strikeouts and has not allowed a home run in 13 1/3 innings.

"Some nights he's up to 98 [miles per hour] and some nights he's 96, but he's still pretty good,'' Ventura said. "Even when you'd look at him and think he didn't have it, he's got it.''

There were those who thought Reed could have been the closer out of spring training, but left-hander Hector Santiago was given the job. Reed, a closer in college, took it in stride and said he was happy to pitch any time, any place.

"He could have been [ready in early April],'' Ventura said. "The way it worked out, I think it's going to be better for him in the long run.''

It's a job Reed has always wanted.

"I don't think he cares,'' Ventura said. "I think he just wants the ball and pitches. From spring training on every time you hand him the ball he's not overwhelmed by any situation.''

By Mark Konkol

On Tuesday, hundreds of folks gathered at Old St. Patrick's Church in Chicago to say their final goodbyes to former White Sox pitcher Kevin Hickey -- who since 2003 had pitched batting practice for the club. Hickey died Wednesday. He was 56.

Sox captain Paul Konerko, catcher A.J. Pierzynski, pitching coach Don Cooper, trainer Herm Schneider, bullpen catcher Mark Salas, Sox travel director Ed Cassin and Hickey's friend John Capone were pallbearers.

Hickey was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip.

Eulogies given by Cooper and Pierzynski brought tears, laughter.

White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper:

"Everybody who has gone through the clubhouse from 2004 on was touched by this guy. .... I'll remember him as a friend and I want to celebrate him that way.

I know what [Kevin] would be telling me now, "OK, take a few minutes and then pay me homage," he'd say. "Give me homage and give me kudos." That's what we're trying to do in the midst of everything.

What I believe is he's in the presence of God. And knowing Kevin the first question he asked was," How can I help? What can I do?" I imagine God's response would be 'Kevin, you've don enough. It's time to rest and hang with me. You're on my team now.'

"I hope that we can turn our sorrow in to joy ... We were blessed to know him ... If I had a glass in my hand, a beer in my hand, I'd say a toast to Kevin. So later today when you have a beer in your hand toast him for me, because we'll be toasting him every day with the White Sox."

Father Paul Novak: "Thank you, Reverend Cooper. (Laughter)"

A.J. Pierzynski - "Coop, we got a new name for you, "Reverend Cooper." Thank you, Father.

I have so many stories about Hick. (Chokes up) ... He was there every day with a smile on his face. He loved being on the baseball field every day.

"He would do anything for you. He taught John Danks how to throw a cutter. He was there every day no matter what with me. If we had a lefty he'd be there before me waiting for me by my locker and say, "Do you need me to throw to you?" He'd throw literally until his arm fell off.

"I think Cooper told him to shave his head, because he loved him and his bald head. If you ever need to find him he was either working out or shaving his head ... Hickey had some sayings during ball games 'Show 'em your credentials.'

"He'd always tell Paulie to 'Crown 'em.' For those who don't know, we call Paulie 'The King.'

"[Hickey] became a parrot for Cooper. Cooper would tell Hick a saying and he'd yell it. The thing about Hick is he was there every day, he loved his life, he loved his family, he loved his friends, he loved baseball, and more important he loved White Sox baseball.

"No one was more proud of our team that this weekend we really swept the Cubs (chokes up. Applause). His jersey was there hanging, watching us ... I'll miss Kevin forever."

The White Sox placed third baseman Brent Morel on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday and signed switch-hitting second baseman Orlando Hudson.

Hudson, 34, who has won four Gold Gloves as a second baseman, has not played third base since the minor leagues but will play third for the Sox while serving as a backup to second baseman Gordon Beckham, manager Robin Ventura said Sunday. The Sox agreed to terms on a one-year contract with Hudson that covers the rest of the season.

Morel has a lumbar back strain. He did not play in the Sox' series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field over the weekend, and has been dealing with low back discomfort since spring training. Morel had finished his rookie season last year with eight home runs in September. He batted .245 for the season.

This season, Morel is batting .177 with no homers, five RBI and 39 strikeouts. The DL move is retroactive to Friday.

Hudson, who will wear jersey No. 5, was released by the San Diego Padres last week after batting .211 with one home run and five triples in 35 games. He batted .246 with seven homers, 43 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 2011. He is a two-time All-Star (Dodgers 2009, Diamondbacks '07) with a career .276 average and .343 on-base percentage.

Hudso's career spans 1,294 games over 11 seasons with Toronto (2002-05), Arizona (2006-08), the Dodgers (2009), Minnesota (2010) and San Diego (2011-12).

Hudson is one of nine second basemen with four or more Gold Gloves, along with Roberto Alomar, Ryne Sandberg, Bill Mazeroski, Frank White, Joe Morgan, Bobby Richardson, Craig Biggio, Bret Boone and Bobby Grich.

The Sox open a six-game homestand with Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Twins. Gavin Floyd pitches for the Sox against P.J. Walters.