Randy Dobnak failed to get out of the second inning while the offense managed just a single run against the White Sox Thursday afternoon as the Royals appropriately lost their 91st game of the season, 9-1.
Chicago came out attacking Dobnak in the first inning. Through only 14 pitches, he’d already faced six batters and allowed three runs. His last outing of the season was ugly as he recorded only four outs while allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out one. He also
committed two throwing errors, one after fielding a bunt and one on a botched pick-off attempt.
In the first, leadoff hitter Sam Antonacci singled up the middle. Catcher Kyle Teel followed with a perfect bunt that Dobnak cleanly fielded, but his throw to first pulled Vinnie Pasqauntino off the bag. Miguel Vargas followed with an RBI single to left. After striking out Munetaka Murakami for the first out, Dobnak got Andrew Benintendi to fly out to center, which scored Teel from third. Vargas then stole second before scoring on Tristan Peters’ single through the infield. Chase Meidroth then singled before Dobnak retired Colson Montgomery on a fly ball to center.
An unencouraging top half of the first inning, and yet things continued to get worse. Braden Montgomery led off the second with a single before Antonacci walked. Montgomery then scored on Dobnak’s second error of the game when miscommunication ensued and the pitcher, unbeknownst to the first baseman, attempted a pickoff. Dobnak then hit Teel before Vargas added his second RBI single in two innings. After Murakami grounded out to second, which scored Teel, the Royals finally pulled Dobnak.
Good riddance.
The Royals offense collected seven hits with John Rave and Kyle Isbel both going 2-for-4. Bobby Witt Jr. hit his 32nd double in the bottom of the first while Nick Loftin recorded his 27th and Rave his 8th. The Royals now have 285 doubles on the year, which leads the Majors.
Salvador Perez scored the Royals only run of the day when he uncorked his 20th home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the score to 8-1. The White Sox grabbed that run right back in the top of the fifth. Neither team scored the rest of the way.
It’s the 10th time Salvy has hit at least 20 home runs in a season, extending his Royals record.
For the White Sox, former Royals farmhand David Sandlin had a strong start: six innings, five hits, one walk, seven strikeouts, one earned run. He improves to 3-2 on the year with a 5.58 ERA. Chicago’s bullpen finished the game with three unexciting innings in which the Royals mustered two hits and one walk.
Aside from Dobnak, Anthony Gose pitched 1-and-2/3 innings while giving up one run and striking out three. Spencer Bivens and Nolan Hoffman combined for three innings of shutout ball while allowing two hits and zero walks while striking out five. Alex Lange and Juan Cuas, not so much—they combined for three innings pitched, three earned runs, five walks, and three strikeouts. Lange allowed the only White Sox home run, to Teel (5) in the fourth.
For the Royals, Cleveland comes to town tomorrow night to start the season’s final series. The White Sox head to Colorado to face one of the few teams worse than the Royals in 2026.
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