Mike Yastrzemski and John Rave each homered, and Michael Lorenzen returned from the injured list with four scoreless innings, as the Kansas City Royals extended their home winning streak over the Chicago White Sox to 13 games with Saturday night’s 6-2 victory.
Rave, Randal Grichuk and Nick Loftin each had two hits, and Maikel Garcia added a two-run double for the Royals, who are back above .500. They have gone 12-5 in their last 17 home games. Meanwhile, Lorenzen yielded three hits and two walks across 85 pitches in his first start since July 6 and subsequent shelving with an oblique strain.
Daniel Lynch IV (5-2) allowed one hit over two scoreless innings of relief for the Royals.
Ex-Royal Andrew Benintendi’s two-run double in the eighth highlighted the night for the White Sox, who have lost 10 of 12 and totaled three runs during their three-game skid. Chicago’s Sean Burke (4-10) threw 53 of his 85 pitches in the first two innings, and lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up three runs — two earned — and five hits.
After Lorenzen allowed the first two batters to reach, he got out of the jam via Luis Robert Jr.’s inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. In the bottom of the first, Yastrzemski cleared the right-center field wall to lead off the frame.
Kansas City added a run in the second. After Grichuk roped a one-out double and Loftin walked, Kyle Isbel bounced to Burke, who then threw wildly into center field while trying to start a 6-4-3 double, allowing a run to score.
Rave, who replaced teammate Vinnie Pasquantino after the first baseman left early on with a heat-related illness, went deep to right-center field in the third for a 3-0 Royals lead.
Kansas City added on in the fifth. Yastrzemski walked and Rave reached on a bunt single, then both scored via Garcia’s double off the left-field wall.
In the sixth, after singles from Adam Frazier and Grichuk, Loftin’s hit made it 6-0.
–Field Level Media
