Royals rally to notch critical victory over White Sox
CHICAGO -- Whit Merrifield delivered a two-run go-ahead single in the seventh inning as the Kansas City Royals claimed a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak and kept the Royals (73-68) in the hunt for an American League wild-card spot.
Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy (1-0) struck out the lone batter he faced in the sixth and earned the victory.
Reliever Chris Beck (2-2) worked one-third of the seventh inning and took the loss after giving up three runs on two hits for the White Sox (68-73).
The Royals survived a nervous ninth when reliever Wade Davis gave up back-to-back hits and had White Sox runners on second and third and none out.
Davis struck out Tim Anderson but gave up an infield hit to Melky Cabrera that scored Tyler Saladino from third. Davis came back to strike out Jose Abreu and Justin Morneau to claim his 23rd save.
In the seventh, Merrifield drove in Terrance Gore and Jarrod Dyson with his hit off Beck for a 5-4 lead.
The Royals made it 6-4 later in the seventh when Kendrys Morales' fielder's choice grounder scored Merrifield.
Kansas City starter Edinson Volquez had no decision after working five innings before being relieved by left-hander Matt Strahm. Volquez allowed four earned runs on nine hits, struck out two and walked four while throwing 85 pitches.
Strahm left with two out in the sixth and White Sox runners on second and third but McCarthy struck out Anderson to end the threat.
White Sox starter James Shields had his second no-decision in three starts and has no victory since beating the Cubs on July 26. He gave up early home runs to Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon as the Royals opened a 3-1 lead by the fourth inning.
Hosmer's 22nd home run of the season came on Shields' first pitch, driving home Dyson to give the Royals a 2-0 lead with one out.
The White Sox threatened but came up empty in the second inning as Morneau doubled and reached third on a sacrifice, but advanced no further.
Chicago got one run back in the third inning as Adam Eaton scored from third on Cabrera's fielder's choice grounder to second base.
Kansas City replied in the fourth with Alex Gordon's leadoff home run to right. His 14th homer of the season -- a solo shot -- extended the Royals lead to 3-1.
The White Sox scraped together another run in the fourth as Todd Frazier led off with walk, advanced to third on Omar Narvaez's ground out to first and came home when Saladino grounded to third.
Chicago took a 4-3 lead with a two-run fifth. Abreu forced a tie with a two-out single that drove in Cabrera from second after he had doubled to deep right. Abreu, who advanced to second on a throw, came home on Morneau's two-base hit down the right-field line.
NOTES: Kansas City RF Lorenzo Cain was out of Saturday's lineup and one report suggested a sore left wrist could knock him out for the rest of the season. He played on Friday for the first time since Aug. 30, going 1-for-3. ... RHP Edinson Volquez is among five big league pitchers to reach 30 starts for the season through Saturday. He's made at least 30 starts in each of the last five seasons. ... The Royals send RHP Ian Kennedy (10-9, 3.76 ERA) for his 29th start on Sunday against LHP Chris Sale (15-7, 3.07 ERA), who makes his 28th start of the season, 13th at home and 11th career versus Kansas City. ... White Sox 1B/DH Jose Abreu came into Saturday hitting .440 with five home runs and 16 RBIs over his last 11 games (including eight multi-hit performances). ... Todd Frazier is tied for sixth in the major leagues with 35 home runs and has set a single-season club record for third basemen.