Late HRs by Abreu, Palka carry White Sox past Royals

[August 03, 2018]  Jose Abreu hit a game-tying home run in the eighth inning and pinch hitter Daniel Palka blasted a three-run shot three batters later Thursday afternoon, rallying the Chicago White Sox to a 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Chicago.

Whit Merrifield's pinch-hit, three-run homer in the top of the eighth had given Kansas City a 3-2 lead in its attempt to sweep the three-game series.

But after reliever Jason Adam (0-3) got the first out of the bottom of the eighth, Abreu teed off for his 17th home run of the season to tie the game.

Avisail Garcia followed with a double, and after Omar Narvaez was intentionally walked, Palka greeted Jason Hammel with his bomb to right-center, providing the difference-making runs. The homer was Palka's 16th of the year.

Xavier Cedeno (1-0), who allowed Merrifield's homer in the eighth, got credit for the win.

The Royals got within 6-4 in the ninth on a double by Brett Phillips and sacrifice fly by Rosell Herrera, before Luis Avilan recorded his first save of the season.

After winning the first two games of the series 4-2 and 10-5, the Royals found themselves trailing 2-0 as White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez took a three-hit shutout into the eighth.

But Alcides Escobar led off the eighth with a double and took third on Adalberto Mondesi's bunt single. Two outs later, Merrifield came through with his pinch-hit homer, his sixth of the season, to give the Royals a brief advantage.

Lopez was charged with two runs in seven innings. He gave up five hits and two walks, and struck out four.

 White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu (79) calls for time out after hitting a double during the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Kansas City Royals second baseman Adalberto Mondesi (27) and umpire Ted Barrett (65) look on. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Royals starter Brad Keller went the first 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits. He walked three and struck out nine.

After Keller had opened the game with 3 2/3 innings of no-hit ball, Narvaez started the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth. Tim Anderson made it 2-0 with a run-scoring double in the seventh, after Keller was pulled following two walks.

Abreu and Narvaez scored two runs each, while Abreu and Garcia collected two hits apiece for the White Sox, who completed a 2-4 homestand by snapping a three-game losing streak.

Escobar had a double and a single for the Royals, who lost for the eighth time in 13 meetings with the White Sox this season.

The White Sox out-hit the Royals 9-7.

--Field Level Media

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