Royals 5, White Sox 0
Luke Hochevar snapped out of a slump, allowing just three hits over seven innings as Kansas City won for the third time in four games.
Hochevar (3-3), who had allowed 16 earned runs over just 6 1/3 innings in his first two starts of the month, struck out five and retired the last 11 batters he faced. Chicago only got one runner to second base and had its lone threat snuffed out by an inning-ending double play in the second.
Greg Holland kept the White Sox off the board in the eighth inning and Aaron Crow worked around a pair of walks in the ninth to preserve the shutout.
Kansas City grabbed the upper hand in the first inning against Chris Sale (3-2). Billy Butler singled in one run, and an error by Chicago second baseman Gordon Beckham on an RBI fielder’s choice by Jeff Francoeur allowed the Royals to take a 3-0 lead.
Alcides Escobar added an RBI double in the eighth inning and scored on a Humberto Quintero single.
Sale settled down after the rough first inning, giving up seven hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings of work.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Kansas City 1B Eric Hosmer was dropped down to the sixth spot in the lineup. He was 1-for-4 ... Holland, who had been out with a rib injury, was activated before the game ... The Royals signed veteran LHP Doug Davis to a minor-league contract earlier Saturday.