NEW YORK -- Tim Anderson's first career grand slam proved to be the difference on Sunday afternoon as the White Sox defeated the Yankees, 5-2, at Yankee Stadium. Chicago won its first series of the season, taking two out of three over the weekend.

“It means a lot for the team,” Anderson said. “We played well this series. Hopefully, we can continue it, keep rallying around each other and have fun.”

The White Sox were down, 2-0, in the fourth inning, when they rallied off Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. Jose Abreu doubled, then Yonder Alonso and Eloy Jiménez drew walks to load the bases with one out to set up Anderson.

“We made him make pitches. We didn’t let him off the hook,” Anderson said. “We were able to make it hurt.”

Anderson swung at a hanging 0-1 splitter and lifted the ball over the right-center-field wall to open Chicago’s scoring in loud fashion. It was his third home run of the season, and he’s started the season on a power surge.

“I knew I had to get a good pitch to hit and drive it the other way,” Anderson said. “I was able to wait on something in the zone, be aggressive in the zone. I was able to lift it out of the ballpark.

“I don’t know much about a grand slam. That was my first one. It definitely felt good.”

And though it appeared he willed the ball out while heading to first base, he said, “I knew it was gone. I don’t hit them like that, so I know when I get them.”

Coincidentally, as Anderson was rounding the bases, golfer Tiger Woods won a grand slam event of his own -- his first Masters Tournament victory since 2005.

“[Tiger] told me to hit [the grand slam],” Anderson joked. “He sent a message, so I did it.”

The White Sox added insurance to their lead an inning later, as Yolmer Sánchez scored on a sacrifice fly by Abreu.

Words of encouragement for Rodon
The way things were going at first, it looked like the White Sox might be headed to a series loss. They were down, 2-0, and the Yankees were looking to score more runs in the third inning.

New York had runners on first and second with one out, when White Sox pitching Don Cooper came to the mound to settle down left-hander Carlos Rodón. Whatever Cooper said, it worked, as Rodon retired the next 11 hitters he faced. The left-hander finished with six solid innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out five batters.

So what was the adjustment? “Something quick [and] mechanical that I know I could get to, that could get me back in the zone,” Rodon said. “It worked.”

“[Rodon’s] tempo picked up a little bit,” manager Rick Renteria said. “He got a few runs and worked with it. ... He got into a deeper pitch count than we would have wanted, but he continued to work.”