Field Level Media
Apr 28, 2018
Eric Skoglund recovered from allowing a leadoff homer to Tim Anderson and pitched a career-high seven sharp innings as the Kansas City Royals recorded a 5-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of a day-night doubleheader Saturday at Kauffman Stadium.
Skoglund (1-2) gave up Anderson's homer five pitches into the game and then retired the next 15 hitters before Omar Narvaez opened the sixth with a single. He retired Anderson on an inning-ending double play in the sixth.
He struck out a career-high nine and issued his only walk to Matt Davidson in the seventh. After walking Davidson, Skoglund showed some emotion by getting Yoan Moncada to swing over strike three to end the seventh.
Skoglund threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of 23 batters faced and 57 of 88 pitches for strikes.
Brad Keller gave up an RBI single to Nicky Delmonico in the eighth but got Anderson to bounce into a double play. Kelvin Herrera pitched a scoreless ninth and notched his fifth save.
Alex Gordon drove in his first three runs of the season with a two-run single in the first off Dylan Covey (0-1) and an RBI double off Juan Minaya in the eighth as the Royals stopped a 10-game home losing streak, one shy of the team record set in 2013.
Abraham Almonte added an RBI infield hit and Jorge Soler contributed an RBI double as the Royals beat the White Sox for the first time in six tries this season.
After getting 15 hits in the opener, the White Sox were held to six hits. Daniel Palka, who went 4-for-5 in the afternoon game, did not play while Davidson was 0-for-3 after getting three hits in the opener and hitting two homers Friday.
Covey allowed four runs -- one earned -- and six hits in six innings.
Anderson gave Chicago a 1-0 lead when he opened the game by lifting a 2-2 fastball over the center field fence.
His vocal reaction to the homer appeared to upset catcher Salvador Perez. After Anderson crossed the plate, he tapped Perez's chest protector.
Kansas City's rally started when Perez reached second after left fielder Leury Garcia dropped his fly ball for an error. Perez stood at second and began saying something to Anderson. The benches cleared and relievers ran in, but nothing occurred, and it ended with Anderson and Perez shaking hands.
After the stoppage, Almonte's infield hit deflected off Anderson to tie the game, and Gordon made it 3-1 by lacing a single up the middle.
Kansas City went up 4-1 when Perez opened the fifth with a stand-up double and scored on Soler's double down the left field line.
--Field Level Media