Field Level Media
Aug 5, 2021
Edward Olivares homered, Emmanuel Rivera provided a two-run double, and the Kansas City Royals held on for a 3-2 win over the host Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.
Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch (2-3) did not need any additional run support as he limited the White Sox to one run on four hits in five-plus innings. The highly touted rookie walked two and struck out seven for his third quality start in a row.
Jose Abreu homered for the White Sox and Eloy Jimenez contributed an RBI double. Chicago lost two out of three games in its series against Kansas City and finished its six-game homestand with a 3-3 record.
White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel (7-5) took the loss despite holding the Royals to two runs on three hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out five as his winless drought reached a season-high four starts.
The Royals jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a two-out rally in the top of the first. Salvador Perez singled to center field, Hunter Dozier walked and Rivera drove in both of them with a double to center.
The sequence marked the third career hit and first two career RBIs for Rivera, a 25-year-old rookie from Puerto Rico who was playing in his fourth major league game.
The White Sox sliced the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the first. Abreu belted a fastball 421 feet to straightaway center for his 20th homer of the season and second in as many days. He now has notched 20-plus homers seven times in eight years.
In the top of the seventh, Kansas City increased its lead to 3-1 on Olivares' opposite-field shot. The 389-foot blast marked his fourth homer of the season, second in as many games and his third in the past four games.
The White Sox pulled within 3-2 during the eighth. Cesar Hernandez hit a one-out single to right-center field and raced around the bases to score on Jimenez's double to right.
Royals left-hander Jake Brentz pitched a scoreless ninth to collect his first career save.
--Field Level Media