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May 19--SAN FRANCISCO -- Earlier this month, the White Sox were mired in a six-game losing streak, dealing with a blowup doll controversy and facing questions about their feeble offense.
Thanks to a successful West Coast road trip, those problems are fading quickly.
Sunday's 13-8 victory over San Francisco completed a three-game sweep, extended their winning streak to five games and rebuilt the momentum they gained early in the season.
The Sox (23-20) tied their season high for runs, set a season high in hits with 15 and increased their lead in the American League Central to 11/2 games.
They finished 7-3 on their 10-game, three-city trip.
"That wasn't crazy, man," Nick Swisher said after hitting a three-run, pinch-hit double that snapped a 6-6 tie with two out in the eighth. "It was wonderful. It was great.
"Before we came on this trip, all I heard about was how the White Sox never really play well on the West Coast. I think we kind of turned that around a little bit.
"[This win] was huge. ... We got the home runs and big hits when we needed [them]. For us to go home, we are excited to sleep in our own beds."
The Sox will have the comfort of playing 31 of their next 44 games in Chicago and knowing their offense is capable of bailing out the pitching staff.
After getting no-hit for 41/3 innings by Giants starter Matt Cain, the Sox hit four homers to take a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Joe Crede snapped Cain's no-hit and shutout bid with a homer in the fifth, Orlando Cabrera hit home runs in his next two at-bats and Carlos Quentin regained the AL lead by hitting his 11th homer in the sixth.
"We hit the lottery with him," Guillen said of Quentin.
FLdevilsFAN 
