Royals, White Sox game suspended in 5th for rain, tied at 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Yolmer Sanchez hit a tying single, then entertained his White Sox teammates with a dugout show during a long rain delay before Chicago’s game against the Kansas City Royals was suspended in the fifth inning with the score 1-all Monday.

The teams will pick up Tuesday where they left off, with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and a runner on second. Play is set to begin at 5:40 p.m. EDT, before the regularly scheduled night game.

The clubs waited through a 2-hour, 55-minute delay with the White Sox batting in fifth. The game resumed for only five minutes, long enough for Sanchez to hit an RBI single, before play was halted again. The suspension was announced an hour later.

“We thought there was a window there to be able to continue the game,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “Obviously, we started it and it started coming down pretty soon after we did. It is what it is. You can’t control Mother Nature. She did what she did, and this is where we stand.”

During the break, Sanchez kept the White Sox amused by doing jumping jacks on the bench. Then the 26-year-old second baseman poured a beverage bucket over his head as he stood in the rain. He also made mud angels at third base after play was stopped a second time.

Royals manager Ned Yost praised the umpires, saying they were “absolutely fantastic in trying to get this game in.”

“They did a phenomenal job of giving us every opportunity,” he said. “The weather just wouldn’t cooperate. (Crew chief Bill Miller) tried his best to get this game in for both teams but it just didn’t work out. The field’s a mess right now.”

The rain was coming down hard in the fourth when Kansas City’s Adalberto Mondesi doubled and scored from third on Hunter Dozier’s two-out single .

Chicago had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth after James McCann and Jose Rondon singled against Homer Bailey. Sanchez had a 2-1 count before the first delay hit.

Once the game resumed, Sanchez immediately hit a tying single against Brian Flynn.

Rondon got caught rounding second on the play when right fielder Whit Merrifield threw behind the runner. Sanchez moved to second when Flynn bounced a pitch to Ryan Cordell. Play was stopped again.

Bailey gave up three hits in 4 1/3 innings. Chicago’s Ivan Nova went five innings, allowing six hits.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: SS Tim Anderson (sore right wrist) said he’s still feeling some pain when he swings, though he “felt a lot better.” Anderson was out of the lineup for the third straight game after being hit by a pitch Friday at Minnesota. … OF Jon Jay (strained right hip) appears close to going on a rehab stint. He was in Chicago being evaluated after staying in Arizona for extended spring training. “I’m dying to go out there and play some baseball, which is what I love to do,” he said. “We’re definitely taking the right steps.” … OF Leury Garcia (sore right shoulder) was out of the lineup for the second straight game.

FOR STARTERS

Yost hasn’t decided who will start Wednesday against Chicago.

Kansas City was thin in the bullpen after playing two doubleheaders last week — a split at St. Louis and sweep by the New York Yankees on Saturday. Yost said his only relievers available Monday were Flynn and Jorge Lopez.

“I was going to try to close with Lopez if I got to that point,” Yost said. “My focus was if we could we could get through six I was going to go with Lopez and before that I was going to go with Flynn, so that’s what I had.”

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Brad Keller (3-5, 4.43 ERA) goes for his second straight win after tossing seven solid innings against St. Louis last week. He was 0-4 in his previous six starts.

White Sox: Coming off a four-hitter for his first major league shutout, RHP Lucas Giolito (6-1, 2.77 ERA) looks to keep his dominant run going Tuesday. He has won four straight starts and is 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his past seven outings.