Cain's homer lifts Royals past White Sox
CHICAGO -- Lorenzo Cain homered and Danny Duffy pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings before the Kansas City Royals bullpen finished off a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field.
After Cain's home run gave the Royals a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning, Kansas City reliever Joakim Soria (2-1) helped to preserve the slim cushion by pitching out of a bases-loaded walk jam in the seventh.
Wade Davis pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 11th save for the Royals (22-20), who won their fifth straight game. The struggling first-place White Sox (25-18) lost for the eighth time in 10 games.
Davis got Adam Eaton to ground out to third, after walking Tyler Saladino, to preserve the one-run victory.
Jarrod Dyson paced the Royals with three hits while Chicago's offense continued to sputter, especially with runners in scoring position. The White Sox stranded 15 runners.
The White Sox cut the deficit to 2-1 when Dioner Navarro scored as Jose Abreu grounded into a double play. But Soria, who pitched two scoreless innings, got Todd Frazier to ground out, stranding the tying run on third base.
Royals manager Ned Yost again kept Duffy on a strict pitch count for his second spot start of the season. Duffy made the most of the 63 pitches he threw and held the White Sox to four hits while striking out three, but did not get the victory because he pitched only 4 1/3 innings, two-thirds short of the minimum required for a starter.
Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Eric Hosmer's sacrifice fly that scored Alcides Escobar, who singled to lead off the game.
Duffy made the lead stand up until the sixth when Cain, who was 2-for-3, led off with a solo home run against White Sox starter Miguel Gonzalez.
Gonzalez (0-1), who made his fourth start of the season as the White Sox continue to search for a No. 5 starter, struck out eight while allowing the two earned runs on six hits over his six innings.
NOTES: Royals 3B Mike Moustakas batted second after rejoining the club on Saturday. Moustakas was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 5 because of a fractured left thumb. ... To make room, the Royals optioned INF Cheslor Cuthbert back to Triple-A Omaha after he appeared in 13 games. Manager Ned Yost said Cuthbert could see more time at second base with Omaha after he hit .255 while filling in for Moustakas. "Did he deserve to go down (to Triple-A)? No," Yost said Saturday. "But you've got 25 guys on the team and there's just not a spot for him right now." ... White Sox RHP Jake Petricka continues to rehab from a hip injury that probably will keep him on the disabled list longer than 15 days, manager Robin Ventura said. "He still feels a little something there," Ventura said. Petricka has a 4.50 ERA in nine appearances this season.