The Royals rallied early in a back-and-forth game, to beat the White Sox 5-4. It ends a 4-game losing streak and a 6-game losing streak to the White Sox.
Lane Thomas led off the game with a single and stole second. He went to third on Bobby Witt Jr.’s deep flyout to center. Carter Jensen drove him in with an RBI single, to extend his hit streak to 19 games.
The White Sox immediately answered in the bottom of the inning, a leadoff
walk was followed by Miguel Vargas blasting a 2-run shot into the left center bleachers. Avila worked around a single and walk thereafter.
In the top of the 2nd, Isaac Collins was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Tyler Tolbert reached via an error, and the Royals had 1st and 2nd with nobody down. Kameron Misner flew out to right, letting Collins get to third. Thomas singled him home to tie the game. Tolbert scored on a Jr. sac fly after getting to third on a wild pitch.
Again though, the White Sox answered right back. After two quick outs, a single, double and a 2-run broken bat single put the home team up 4-3.
The Royals tied the game in the top of the third behind Starling Marte turning back the clock. Marte led off with a single and stole second base, his first on the season and the 362nd of his career. He scored on Collins bloop double to right.
In the top of the 4th, Jr. walked on 4 pitches and scored on Jensen’s double down the right field line. 5-4 Royals, and that was all that they needed.
Avila finished the day, going 4 innings, allowing 6 hits, 4 runs, walking 3 and striking out 4. Steven Cruz, who was the winning pitcher, threw a 1-2-3 5th inning. Beck Way, Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm each got scoreless innings to get it to the 9th inning.
Alex Lange got the 9th, he got 3 groundouts to end the game but made a nice play after taking a hard grounder off the foot. It’s Lange’s 7th save on the season.
The Royals finish the road trip 3-4, they are 35-50 on the season now. They are off tomorrow, before starting a 3-game series on Tuesday against Tampa Bay.
