LDN - Sports

Cabrera, Saladino, Rodon lead White Sox over Royals

[September 10, 2016] CHICAGO -- Once Carlos Rodon discovered his slider would be effective for the long run on Friday night, the Chicago White Sox left-hander didn't go away from it.

The Kansas City Royals, on the other hand, never figured out a way to do anything with it.

Rodon allowed only one earned run and struck out a season-high nine batters and Melky Cabrera and Tyler Saladino each drove in a pair of runs as the White Sox beat the Royals 7-2 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Rodon (7-8) worked six innings and scattered six hits to pace the White Sox, who won their third straight game and for the fifth time in their last seven games. Rodon pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning. After allowing a pinch-hit single to Whit Merrifield to load the bases, Rodon struck out Paulo Orlando for his ninth strikeout of the night.

The escape act came after manager Robin Ventura elected to leave Rodon in to attempt to work out of trouble. After striking out Orlando, Rodon allowed some emotion to escape as he walked back to the dugout -- a departure from the normally mild-mannered White Sox closer.

"It's different in between the lines," said Rodon, who called Ventura's decision to stick with him a boost for his confidence. "That's when you got to show up and be the mad dog and just go after guys. That's what I expect out of every one of my teammates. Once we step in between those lines. it's everything we've got."

After Rodon did his job on the mound, Saladino broke the game open in the eighth inning with a two-run single, his third hit of the night.

"(He) understands that he doesn't need to hit a home run there -- just put it in play," Ventura said. "He just knows how to play the game."

The White Sox built a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning. Cabrera delivered a one-out RBI single just out of the reach of diving, drawn-in first baseman Eric Hosmer. The single scored Adam Eaton, who led off the inning with his second double of the game.

Justin Morneau followed with an RBI single before Royals starter Yordano Ventura (10-10) got out of the jam by starting an inning-ending double play.

But by then, the damage was already done.

"I thought one inning (the fifth) got away from me a little bit," Ventura said through a team translator. "I kind of got out my approach, but overall, I felt good. My goal was to keep the team there so we could win a ballgame.

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"I thought I made good pitches, but they just hit it where we weren't."

Ventura gave up four earned runs over seven innings, allowing 10 hits.

The Sox got to the Royals' Ventura earlier, scoring a pair of runs in the third inning to take a 3-2 lead. After Saladino led off with a double and stole third, Tim Anderson followed with a one-out RBI single. Anderson moved to third with a stolen base and a throwing error by Royals catcher Drew Butera before Jose Abreu drove in Anderson with a RBI infield single.

The Royals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Hosmer drove in both runs with a two-run single, scoring Orlando, who reached on an error and Lorenzo Cain, who singled.

But that was all the Royals could manage off Rodon, who kept the Royals off-balance all night with his slider.

"We didn't have a lot of run-scoring opportunities," Royals' manager Ned Yost said. "(After the first inning), we really couldn't capitalize on anything from that point."

NOTES: Royals C Salvador Perez missed his second straight game with a bruised right wrist after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday. Manager Ned Yost said Friday Perez is still feeling discomfort when he swings a bat, but is fine when he throws. Yost said Perez could be ready to play by Saturday. ... Royals RF Lorenzo Cain returned to the lineup after missing six straight games with a left wrist injury. "He's still going to feel it, but we're bound and determined he's ready to go," Yost said. ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura said RHP James Shields is good to start Saturday's game after recently experiencing back pain. Shields threw a side session earlier this week after undergoing an MRI exam. Shields has never missed a start in his career and his nine straight 200-inning seasons is the longest active streak, but that will end this season.

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