Matt Davidson Sparks 8-Run 6th Inning As White Sox Rout Royals, 12-1
CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Davidson had two hits and three RBIs in an eight-run sixth, Chicago's highest-scoring inning in five years, and the White Sox routed the struggling Kansas City Royals, 12-1, on Monday night.
Miguel Gonzalez (3-0) lowered his ERA to 2.00, allowing an unearned run and two hits in eight innings.
Davidson set a career-high with three hits and tied his best with four RBIs. Melky Cabrera, Todd Frazier and Tyler Saladino drove in two runs each for the White Sox, who out-hit the Royals 15-2.
Chicago put together its high-scoring inning since a nine-run fifth against Texas on July 3, 2012. The Royals have lost five straight and scored a major league-low 47 runs.
Jason Vargas (3-1) gave up four runs — three earned — and seven hits in five innings. His ERA rose from a big league-best 0.44 to 1.40.
Davidson, who didn't start the previous four games, put Chicago ahead it the second with his fourth home run of the season, a solo drive.
Frazier booted Whit Merrifield's two-out grounder to third for an error in the third and scored on Mike Moustakas' double just in front of a diving Avisail Garcia in right.
Tim Anderson reached second on a throwing error by Moustakas at third base in the bottom half, stole third and scored the go-ahead run on Jose Abreu's single. Cabrera's two-run single boosted the lead to 4-1 in the fifth, and Davidson sparked the big sixth with an RBI double against Peter Moylan, then capped the scoring with a two-run single off Travis Wood.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: C Salvador Perez (neck stiffness) was 0 for 3 after missing the previous two games.
White Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon, rehabbing from bursitis left biceps, arrived in Chicago to be evaluated. "His visit was just to make sure that everything was moving in the right direction," manager Rick Renteria said. "It is."
UP NEXT
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (2-0, 1.32 ERA) is to start the middle game of the three-game series. He is 6-2 in 14 starts and two relief appearances against Chicago.
White Sox: RHP Dylan Covey (0-1, 7.84 ERA) makes his third start and is still looking for his first major league win.
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