Royals sneak past White Sox in 14 innings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Lorenzo Cain delivered a two-out, RBI single in the 14th inning as the Kansas City Royals edged by the Chicago White Sox 3-2 Wednesday night.
It was Cain's fifth career walk-off hit.
His single to center scored Christian Colon, who started the inning with a single. Paulo Orlando's sacrifice bunt moved Colon to second.
Dillon Gee (4-5), who was slated to start Saturday at Minnesota, pitched two innings to pick up the victory.
Matt Albers (2-5) took the loss.
Tim Anderson's two-out, 11th-inning single scored Todd Frazier to put the White Sox up 2-1, but it was a short-lived lead.
Salvador Perez's double in the bottom of the inning scored Eric Hosmer to tie it at 2.
The Royals wasted a golden opportunity to win it in the 13th, which Jarrod Dyson opened with a triple. Left-hander Dan Jennings struck out Drew Butera, Alex Gordon and Alcides Escobar to quell the threat.
Royals starter Ian Kennedy, who is winless since June 26, left after 6 1/3 innings and 104 pitches, having allowed a run on six hits.
The White Sox chased Kennedy in the seventh after Omar Narvaez walked and Tyler Saladino singled with one out. Brian Flynn replaced Kennedy, and on his second pitch, gave he up a single to center by J.B. Shuck, but Orlando threw out Narvaez at home as the runner attempted to score from second.
White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana was replaced by Nate Jones after giving up a double to Orlando with one out in the eighth. Jones promptly surrendered a double to rookie Cheslor Cuthbert to tie the game at 1.
In 7 1/3 innings, Quintana permitted four hits, three of them singles, and one walk. He struck out five while throwing 64 strikes in 97 pitches.
Kennedy gave up his major-league-leading 27th home run when No. 9 hitter Shuck turned on a 2-0 pitch and deposited it over the right field fence with one out in the third. It was Shuck's fourth home run and his first since June 26. Shuck was 2-for-24 (.083) in his previous eight games.
Kennedy had not allowed a home run in his two previous starts, going 20 1/3 innings between long balls.
The Royals frittered away a chance to score in the bottom of the third. Gordon had a ground-ball single to start the inning. With one out, third baseman Frazier committed an error when Raul Mondesi's grounder went under his glove, allowing Gordon to race to third.
Quintana bailed out Frazier by striking out Orlando and retiring Cuthbert on a pop up to second base on the first pitch.
White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said the magic word from the dugout and was ejected by plate umpire Pat Hoberg in the first inning. It was Cooper's second expulsion this season and the seventh of his career.
NOTES: Chicago 3B Todd Frazier shared the American League-lead with 31 home runs through Tuesday. No White Sox player ever led the AL in homers. ... Royals LHP Brian Flynn appeared in a game for the first time since Aug. 3 at Tampa Bay. ... White Sox relievers began the day 2-0 with three saves in four opportunities in August. ... The Royals lost an extra-inning game Tuesday for the first time in five contests this season. ... White Sox RHP Miguel Gonzalez and Royals LHP Danny Duffy are the probable starters for the series finale Thursday. Expect to see Royals OF Jarrod Dyson in the lineup Thursday, as he is 8-for-10 off Gonzalez.