Defense makes the difference in Royals’ 5-3 loss to White Sox

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jose Abreu hit his 13th home run of the season in the first inning, Yasmani Grandal added a two-run shot, and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-3 Saturday night.

Abreu leads the majors with 40 RBIs in 40 games and extended his hitting streak to 19 games. His 425-foot, two-run shot pushed him past Baltimore’s Anthony Santander for the longest streak this season.

Lucas Giolito (4-2) allowed three runs on five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out nine and walked none. Alex Colome earned his ninth save in 10 tries.

The White Sox (25-15) are now 8-1 against the Royals this season.

Kris Bubic (0-5) took the loss, allowing five runs, two of them earned.

An error by Maikel Franco in the top of the fifth led to three unearned runs. Bubic pitched a career-high seven innings and only allowed four hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.

The Royals drew within 2-1 on Bubba Starling’s leadoff home run in the third, his first homer since Sept. 11, 2019 in Chicago against the White Sox.

Tim Anderson’s RBI single drove in James McCann in the fifth, and Grandal followed with his homer.

Franco doubled home Ryan O’Hearn in the seventh to draw the Royals to within 5-2 and send Giolito to the clubhouse. Adalberto Mondesi’s RBI single drove in Franco.

Matheny on Bubic going seven innings: ‘He just got better as he went’ #AlwaysRoyal pic.twitter.com/bHI8ccPiYK

— FOX Sports Kansas City (@FSKansasCity) September 6, 2020

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: DH Jorge Soler left the game after one at-bat in which he struck out swinging. The 2019 American League home run champion was removed with right oblique soreness. He came out of the game Wednesday and did not play Thursday with an oblique irritation. He was 0 for 5 Friday night.

ROSTER MOVES

The White Sox placed LHP Jace Fry on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to September 3) with back spasms, purchased the contract of RHP Alex McRae from the Schaumburg training facility and transferred LHP Aaron Bummer to the 45-day injured list. Manager Rick Renteria said the move with Bummer did not signify a delay in his recovery. “He’s on the same throwing program. He’s playing catch.”

UP NEXT

The White Sox will send LHP Dallas Keuchel (5-2, 2.70 ERA) to the mound. He faced the Royals July 31 when he allowed two runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He’s 5-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 10 career starts against the Royals.

The Royals will send RHP Matt Harvey (0-2, 14.09 ERA) out for his fourth start. He has yet to get past the third inning in any of his three starts with Kansas City. He allowed two hits in 2/3 inning in his last appearance, against the White Sox, but didn’t yield a run. He’s 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA (16 2/3 innings) in three appearances (two starts) against the White Sox in his career.