White Sox Beat Royals 6-4.
CHICAGO (AP) — Jose Abreu hit a tying home run off Jason Adam in the eighth and pinch-hitter Daniel Palka had a three-run homer off Jason Hammel later in the inning, leading the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 6-4 Thursday.
In a matchup of teams on track to both lose 100 or more games, the White Sox avoided getting swept in the three-game series.
Kansas City overcame a 2-0 deficit when pinch-hitter Whit Merrifield hit a three-run homer in the eighth off Xavier Cedeno (1-0), but Abreu homered with one out in the bottom half against Adam (0-3). Abreu's 141st big league homer moved him ahead of Ron Kittle into sole possession of 10th on the White Sox career list.
Avisail Garcia doubled, Omar Narvaez was intentionally walked and Hammel relieved. Palka drove a hanging slider a half-dozen rows in the right-centerfield bleachers.
He tied the White Sox record of three pinch homers in one season, set by Oscar Gamble in 1977.
Rosell Herrera hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth off Luis Avilan, who got his first save in seven major league seasons.
Chicago (38-70) won for the second time in eight games. Kansas City (34-74) had been seeking its first three-game sweep at the White Sox since June 13-15, 2014.
White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez allowed two runs and five hits in seven-plus innings, leaving with a 2-0 lead after Alcides Escobar doubled leading off the eighth and Adalberto Mondesi reached on a bunt single.
Jace Fry struck out Alex Gordon, Mondesi stole second, and Juan Minaya struck out Salvador Perez. Merrifield greeted Cedeno with his first big league pinch-hit homer/
Lopez had been 0-4 with an 8.27 ERA in his prior four starts.
Royals rookie Brad Keller gave up two runs, five hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings.
Narvarez, who has 17 hits in 10 RBIs in his last 12 games, had a run-scoring single in the fourth. Tim Anderson had an RBI double in the seventh off Tim Hill.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Nate Jones (strained right arm) played catch for the first time in two weeks. ... C Kevan Smith is expected to begin paternity leave Friday.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (7-8, 6.26) is to start Friday at Tampa Bay.
Royals: RHP Heath Fillmyer (0-1, 3.29) is to open Friday at Minnesota.
© 2018 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
