Royals 5, White Sox 1
Bruce Chen and two relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Kansas City Royals cruised past the host Chicago White Sox 5-1 on Friday.
Billy Butler had a solo home run and an RBI single, and Melky Cabrera added a three-run shot in the ninth for the Royals, who won for the sixth time in nine meetings with the White Sox this season.
Chen (7-5) kept Chicago hitters off-balance all night, allowing only one hit while walking three and striking out four. The journeyman lefthander is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three starts against the White Sox in 2011.
Greg Holland recorded the final six outs for his second save.
The Royals' 1-2-3 combination of Alex Gordon, Cabrera and Butler went 6-for-11 with four runs scored and five RBIs.
Zach Stewart (1-2) allowed two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings as the White Sox fell for only the second time in the last eight games.
Juan Pierre had a run-scoring single in the ninth - his fifth RBI in the last three games - for Chicago, which fell five games behind Detroit in the American League Central.