Duffy's Complete Game Leads Royals Past White Sox, 2-1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Duffy pitched his first complete game to win his eighth straight decision, Cheslor Cuthbert had two hits and drove in a run and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, on Thursday night.
Duffy (9-1) limited the White Sox to seven singles, struck out six and walked none. The left-hander has not lost since June 6 and has a 1.73 ERA in his past five starts. Duffy threw 98 pitches, 71 for strikes.
Cuthbert tripled home Jarrod Dyson in the sixth and is second among AL rookies with 93 hits, 24 multihit games and a .303 batting average. Dyson was initially called out trying to steal second, but the Royals appealed and the call was overturned.
Cuthbert then scored the go-ahead run on Eric Hosmer's single off Carson Fulmer (0-2). Fulmer has an 8.47 ERA in eight relief appearances.
Chicago's Jason Coats, recalled Tuesday from Triple-A Charlotte, singled home Tim Anderson with two outs in the second for his first big league RBI.
White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez exited after 21 pitches with a right groin strain. After Salvador Perez fouled off a full-count pitch leading off the second, White Sox manager Robin Ventura and trainer Herm Schneider came to the mound and led Gonzalez off.
MORALES DROPS APPEAL
Royals DH Kendrys Morales served his one-game suspension after dropping his appeal. Morales was punished by Major League Baseball for returning to the field Aug. 2 in Tampa Bay in the ninth inning after being ejected.
TO BE DETERMINED
The Royals have not decided who will start Saturday against the Twins. RHP Dillon Gee was scheduled for that evening but threw 32 pitches in two innings Wednesday in a 14-inning victory over the White Sox. While manager Ned Yost said Gee is "still in the mix" to start, that it is "more murky" after having to use him Wednesday.
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Ventura said he is sticking with David Robertson as his closer, although he blew saves in the first two games of this series and six this season. "At some point it's going to turn for me and hopefully I'll get on a roll," Robertson said. "Right now I've definitely been doing a poor job out there and I need to pick it up."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: RHP Wade Davis (flexor strain) threw 75 feet off a flat surface. "He's getting close, probably in the next day or so," Yost said of throwing off the mound.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Carlos Rodon (2-8, 4.49) seeks his first road victory since April 13 at Miami. The Marlins will counter with RHP Andrew Cashner (4-8, 4.96).
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (7-9, 4.64), who beat Toronto on Sunday for his first win since June 17, will start Friday at Minnesota. The Twins will start RHP Kyle Gibson (4-6, 4.86).
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
