Encarnación Homers, White Sox Finish 4-Game Sweep Of Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Edwin Encarnación hit a three-run homer, Dallas Keuchel threw five scoreless innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 8-2 on Sunday to complete a four-game sweep.
Keuchel (6-2) left the game with lower back stiffness after throwing a few warmup pitches before the sixth inning and is considered day to day. He threw 49 pitches, allowed two hits and struck out two.
The AL Central-leading White Sox went ahead 5-0 in the seventh inning against reliever Josh Staumont. Encarnación hit a 448-foot blast into the second deck of the fountains beyond the wall in left-center to score Yasmani Grandal and Jose Abreu, who had singled to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.
Royals starter Matt Harvey (0-3) was yanked after throwing 40 pitches. He went 2 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and one run.
Yolmer Sanchez started the third inning with a double to left-center and scored on a single by Grandal.
With two outs in the sixth, Luis Robert walked and stole second, and Nomar Mazara doubled to the gap in left-center to put the White Sox ahead 2-0.
Edward Olivares hit his first home run as a Royal, a two-run blast into the left-field bullpen off Steve Cishek that got Kansas City within 5-2 in the seventh.
Grandal, Encarnación and Abreu drove in runs in the eighth for Chicago.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: RHP Carlos Hernandez left the game with a stomach contusion after he was struck by Danny Mendick's line drive.
UP NEXT
White Sox: After a day off Monday, Chicago begins a two-game series at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Royals: Begin a four-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Brad Keller (3-1, 1.93 ERA) will face RHP Zach Plesac (2-1, 1.33), who allowed one run in six innings against the Royals in his last start.
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