KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jose Contreras won his debut for the Chicago White Sox, and Paul Konerko hit a grand slam to tie for the AL home run lead in an 12-4 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Contreras (9-5), obtained from the New York Yankees on Saturday for slumping All-Star Esteban Loaiza, was given a 7-0 lead by the fifth inning and left after the sixth, when Chicago extended its lead to 10-4 lead on Aaron Rowand’s three-run homer. He gave up four runs – two earned – and five hits in six innings, struck out three and walked one.

Signed by the Yankees to a $32 million, four-year contract in December 2002, Contreras was inconsistent in New York, where he compiled a 15-7 record in 11/2 seasons. In his White Sox debut, he threw 57 of 93 pitches for strikes.

Angel Berroa’s leadoff single in the third was the only runner he allowed in the first four innings.

Chicago scored twice in the third and added five runs in the fifth, sparked by Konerko’s 28th homer, which tied Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. But Contreras allowed four runs in the bottom half, when Ken Harvey led off with a home run.

Kansas City first baseman Mike Sweeney left in the fifth inning because of back spasms. Sweeney missed six games last month with stiffness in his back. He was on the disabled list for 45 games with back problems last year, when he played in only 108 games, the fewest since he became a regular in 1999.

Chicago reached double digits in runs for the 18th time this season, the most in the major leagues. Kansas City has lost nine of 11.

Mike Wood (1-4) gave up seven runs and six hits in five innings for the Royals, who have lost five straight to the White Sox. Chicago has won eight of its last 10 in Kansas City.

Joe Crede’s 14th homer and Timo Perez’s RBI double put Chicago ahead in the third – the White Sox have homered in 34 of their last 35 games. Willie Harris’ RBI triple and Konerko’s sixth career slam made it 7-0 in the fifth.

After Harvey’s homer and a two-base error by Crede at third base in the bottom half, Ruben Kotay hit a run-scoring single, the first hit and RBI for the 21-year-old, who made his major league debut Tuesday.

David DeJesus’ RBI single and Joe Randa’s sacrifice fly pulled the Royals to 7-4.

Rowand homered off reliever Dennys Reyes, a 435-foot drive that landed halfway up the hill beyond the center-field fence.

Harris, 3-for-3 with two RBIs, walked with the bases loaded in the eighth against Ryan Bukvich.

Notes: The White Sox have 93 solo homers. … Gotay became the eighth Royal to make his major league debut this year. … Konerko’s grand slam was Chicago’s first since Jose Valentin’s last Sept. 26, also at Kansas City.

AP-ES-08-03-04 2305EDT