Tough night for Giolito as White Sox lose to Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. and MJ Melendez homered and fellow rookie Emmanuel Rivera hit a go-ahead triple, leading the Kansas City Royals over the Chicago White Sox 6-2 Wednesday night.
Witt, Melendez and Rivera each had two hits.
Rivera's sinking liner escaped a diving Adam Engel, rolling into the right field corner for a triple that drove in Melendez with the tiebreaking run in the sixth.
Melendez padded the lead with a two-run homer, his second, in the eighth.
Witt hit his fourth home run, a 436-foot drive off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito.
In his return from the COVID-19-related injured list, Giolito labored early, needing 54 pitches to complete the first two innings, allowing four hits and two walks.
After Witt's leadoff homer in the third, however, he struck out six of the next seven batters and permitted only a pair of singles before being lifted after five innings.
Royals starter Zack Greinke hasn't won since August 13 last year, while with the Astros. He allowed two runs on seven hits, striking out four in 5 2/3 innings.
Greinke walked Engel in the fifth, his first free pass since April 21 against Minnesota, a span of 128 batters.
The second of Tim Anderson's three singles drove in Engel to make it 2-all. Ansderson has nine multi-hit performances in his last 17 contests, batting .378 (28 for 74) in that span.
Rookie Collin Snyder (3-1) recorded the final out of the sixth for the win. Reynaldo Lopez (4-1) took the loss.
TRANSACTIONS
The White Sox reinstated Giolito and RHP Davis Martin was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. RHP Lance Lynn was transferred to the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
The White Sox and Royals conclude their five-game series Thursday. RHP Vince Velasquez (2-3, 5.53 ERA) starts for the White Sox against RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-3, 9.11 ERA).