White Sox outlast Royals in slugfest, win 7-6

[August 20, 2018]  Omar Narvaez delivered the tiebreaking single and also hit a solo homer to help the Chicago White Sox edge the visiting Kansas City Royals 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Avisail Garcia belted a three-run homer and Tim Anderson added a two-run blast as the White Sox won for the fourth time in their past five games.

Chicago left-hander Hector Santiago (5-3) pitched four innings of two-hit shutout relief. He struck out six and walked two.

Whit Merrifield hit a three-run shot, Ryan O'Hearn smacked a two-run blast and Alex Gordon hit a solo homer for the Royals. Jorge Bonifacio went 3-for-4 but Salvador Perez struck out in all five at-bats -- the last time to end the game.

Narvaez's fifth-inning single held up as the decisive run after the teams traded six-run innings earlier in the contest. The Royals' six runs came in the second inning; the White Sox countered in the fourth.

The Royals went down quietly in the ninth as Chicago right-hander Thyago Vieira retired the first hitter and Jace Fry struck out the final two batters for his second save.

White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez gave up six runs -- all coming on the three homers he allowed -- and six hits in two innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Royals right-hander Heath Fillmyer served up the three homers to account for all six runs against him. Fillmyer gave up seven hits and one walk while striking out three.

Garcia led off the fifth with a walk against left-hander Brian Flynn (3-4) and moved to second on an infield out. One out later, Narvaez singled to left to drive in Garcia and give the White Sox a 7-6 edge.

White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) hits a three-run home run during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City's six-run uprising in the second began with a single to left by Bonifacio. O'Hearn followed by drilling a 1-2 fastball from Lopez over the wall in right-center field for a 2-0 lead.

Rosell Herrera walked and Hunter Dozier singled before Lopez fanned the next two hitters. Merrifield slugged a full-count fastball over the fence in left to make it 5-0 and Gordon followed by depositing a 3-1 fastball over the fence in right to cap the explosion.

Gordon's blast was the 169th of his career, tying him with Hal McRae for fourth place on the Royals' all-time list.

The White Sox countered with their six-run frame in the fourth as Jose Abreu and Daniel Palka set the stage with singles. Garcia then walloped Fillmyer's 1-1 fastball over the fence in left center to pull the White Sox within 6-3.

Nicky Delmonico followed with a single before Anderson sent a 3-1 fastball the opposite way and over the fence in right. Two pitches later, Narvaez hit a changeup over the wall in right to tie the score at 6.

--Field Level Media

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