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 Right fielder Nori Aoki set a club record for hits in a
three-game series and center fielder Cain belted a three-run homer
as the Kansas City Royals topped the Chicago White Sox 6-2.
The Royals moved with a half game of Detroit, which lost to
Minnesota, in the American League Central. The Tigers and Royals
open a three-game series Friday at Kauffman Stadium.
Aoki, who had back-to-back four-hit games, went 3-for-4 to bring his
hit total to 11 for the series. Aoki also walked, reaching base 13
times in the three games. The last player to reach base 13 times in
a three-game series was Kevin Kouzmanoff in 2009 with San Diego.
Cain's three-run homer punctuated a four-run third off left-hander
Chris Sale (12-4).
"I knew I barreled it," Cain said. "It felt good."
It was the first time in Sale's career he had allowed a home run on
an 0-2 pitch. Sale wanted the breaking ball at Cain's foot or to
bounce it, but knew soon as he released it that was a poor pitch.
"And then he hit it, that definitely reassured the fact of that
thought," Sale said. "There's some times where you release a pitch
and you know that it 'hey it's going to be a good one.' There's also
some times where you release a pitch, and think, 'oh boy, duck.'
That was definitely one of those times."
Aoki's first-inning double was only the second extra-base hit Sale
had yielded to a left-handed hitter this season.
Royals rookie right-hander Yordano Ventura (13-10) limited the White
Sox to three hits and one run over seven innings, striking out seven
and walking two.
"He was phenomenal," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He got out of
that big jam in the third -- bases loaded and no outs -- with just
one run, which was huge. You know, he's a kid who really likes these
kind of games. He wants them."
Ventura, however, frightened the Royals in the sixth when Yost and
the trainers came out after he experienced numbness in his right
thumb, but he remained in the game.
"It was just for two pitches," Ventura said. "It is fine."
Center fielder Adam Eaton's sacrifice fly in the third scored left
fielder Jordan Danks with the only run the White Sox tallied against
Ventura.
In the third, Cain homered to left-center on, with shortstop Alcides
Escobar and Aoki aboard.
Designated hitter Josh Willingham walked and hustled home from first
on catcher Salvador Perez's single to shallow right-center that
dropped between three defenders.
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Escobar homered in the fourth, his first long ball since May 11 -- a
span of 409 at-bats. That gave Kansas City a 5-1 lead. Escobar has
18 career hits off Sale, the most by any hitter.
"Every hitter has one pitcher they see really well," Escobar said.
Sale, who had allowed one run and seven hits in 14 innings in his
first two September starts, gave up a season-high five earned runs
on nine hits in five innings before being replaced by Maikel Cleto.
It was Sale's shortest outing since May 27.
"It was just an off night for him (Sale) and their guy pitched
great," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "It shocks you when
that happens. It shows he is human. He will bounce back. He'll still
be a good pitcher, but just tonight wasn't his night."
While Sale was off, Ventura was on.
"There guy was real good," Ventura said. "You see him hitting 100
(mph) on a lot of pitches and upper 90s with a big hook. He's tough
to zero on. He was effectively wild, too."
Shortstop Alexei Ramirez's two-out single in the eighth scored
catcher Tyler Flowers, who led off the inning with a double, for the
final White Sox run.
Ramirez also committed two throwing errors, one in the seventh that
gifted Kansas City with an unearned run.
NOTES: Manager Ned Yost gave DH Billy Butler a rare start at first
base and played Jayson Nix at third base. RF Nori Aoki and LF Alex
Gordon were the only left-handers in the lineup against White Sox
LHP Chris Sale. Left-handed batters entered Wednesday hitting .148
off Sale. ... The Royals placed INF Christian Colon, who has not
played since fracturing his right middle finger Sept. 2, on the
disabled list. ... RHP Kyle Zimmer, the Royals' 2012 first-round
pick, was the winning pitcher in relief Tuesday as Omaha beat
Pawtucket 4-2 to win its second consecutive Triple-A National
Championship. ... The Royals won a challenge in the first inning,
and White Sox 1B Jose Abreu was called out at second base after a
57-second review.
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