The Sports Xchange
Sep 11, 2017
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Adam Engel had three hits, including a three-run homer, and Jose Abreu ended a home run shy of his second cycle in three games as the Chicago White Sox ripped the Kansas City Royals 11-3 on Monday night.
Engel's home run highlighted a six-run sixth inning that put the game out of reach.
Abreu singled for his first two hits, tripled in the sixth to score Yoan Moncada and doubled in the seventh. Moncada had his first career three-hit game.
Reynaldo Lopez (1-3) worked six strong innings to pick up the victory. He gave up three runs and eight hits.
Kansas City (71-72) dropped three games behind the idle Minnesota Twins for the second American League wild-card spot. The last-place White Sox (57-86) won their third straight.
The White Sox wasted little time scoring two runs against right-hander Jason Hammel. Yolmer Sanchez led off the game by plopping Hammel's third pitch just inside the third base line for a single.
Moncada got him home with a triple to the right-field corner. With the infield in, Abreu lined a run-producing single to center, making it 2-0 after three batters.
Hammel needed 32 pitches to get out of the first inning.
With two outs in the second, Sanchez doubled to right and scored on Moncada's single.
Hammel yielded two more singles in a scoreless third but struck out the side.
Eric Hosmer led off the Royals' second with a single, his ninth consecutive hit, and advanced to third on Brandon Moss' single to right. Lopez squirmed out of that danger when Alcides Escobar flied out to a right on a 3-and-1 pitch.
Hammel did not make it out of the fourth. The White Sox loaded the bases on Engel and Abreu infield singles sandwiched around a walk to Sanchez. Hammel was pulled after walking Nicky Delmonico on four pitches to load the bases.
Peter Moylan replaced Hammel and Sanchez scored on Avisail Garcia's fielder's choice grounder.
Hammel's final line was 3 1/3 innings, five runs, 10 hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Hosmer grounded out to lead off the fourth, ending his consecutive hit streak one shy of the Royals' record.
Brandon Moss homered on a full-count Lopez 95 mph pitch to lead off the Royals' fifth. The Royals added on two before the inning ended.
Alex Gordon singled and scored on Whit Merrifield's triple to center. Lorenzo Cain singled to center, scoring Merrifield to cut the White Sox's lead to 5-3.
NOTES: Royals LHP Danny Duffy said he felt good after throwing a three-inning simulated game. Duffy, who threw 46 pitches to four batters, is on the disabled list due to a sore elbow. He likely will return to the rotation this weekend at Cleveland. ... RHP Ian Kennedy, who has shoulder fatigue, will miss his Wednesday start. Manager Ned Yost quipped candidates to replace him include "Bill Clinton and Robert Redford." ... Game time for Tuesday has been moved from night to a 12:15 p.m. CDT first pitch because of a U2 concert at Arrowhead Stadium. ... The White Sox have only one off day remaining, on Sept. 18, finishing the season with 33 games in 34 dates. ... White Sox RHP Dylan Covey and Royals RHP Sam Gaviglio are the Tuesday probables.