Sox Sweep Mariners

Dayan Viciedo made a sudden impact in his return to the majors, hitting a three-run homer in his season debut as the Chicago White Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 Sunday for a sweep.

Tyler Flowers connected for his first career grand slam, helping Gavin Floyd (12-10) cruise to victory.

Viciedo was called up from Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday when the White Sox placed outfielder Carlos Quentin on the 15-day disabled list.

Viciedo put up strong numbers in Charlotte, batting .297 with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs this year. He was up with the White Sox for 38 games in 2010 and hit five home runs with 13 RBIs while batting .308.

Manager Ozzie Guillen said Saturday that Viciedo is up with the team to play, not to sit on the bench. The newly promoted right fielder singled in his first at-bat, then homered over the right-center field fence off Jason Vargas (7-12) the next time up.

The White Sox scored six times in the sixth after Paul Konerko and Alex Rios led off with singles and Viciedo drew a one-out walk that loaded the bases. Flowers cleared them with a shot into the White Sox bullpen in left field.

Gordon Beckham and Juan Pierre got hits to chase Vargas, and Brent Lillibridge and Konerko followed with two more singles off reliever Josh Lueke to drive in a pair and give the White Sox a 9-0 lead.

Floyd blanked the Mariners on just two hits over the first seven innings. Kyle Seager reached on a strikeout to start the eighth as Floyd's wild pitch careened to the backstop, and Josh Bard ended the Mariners' 21-inning scoreless streak with a two-run home run off the foul pole in right field.

Singles from Ichiro Suzuki and Franklin Gutierrez forced Floyd from the game. After a single by Dustin Ackley loaded the bases, Will Ohman struck out Casper Wells and got Adam Kennedy to line out.

Bard added an RBI groundout in the ninth.