White Sox pull out late victory to sweep Royals

[May 30, 2019]    Tim Anderson hit a go-ahead, eighth-inning double in his return to the lineup and Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu homered as the host Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 8-7 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game series sweep.

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (7) reacts with second baseman Yolmer Sanchez (5) after defeating the Kansas City Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Moncada smacked a solo home run in the first inning, setting the stage for an early flurry of action that included the second-inning ejection of Royals starter Glenn Sparkman, who was removed from the game after hitting Anderson on the bill of his batting helmet with a pitch.

Chicago led 7-1 after two innings. As it turned out, White Sox starter Reynaldo Lopez and the bullpen needed every bit of the outburst after the Royals rallied for four sixth-inning runs, including a two-run home run from designated hitter Jorge Soler.

Kansas City tied the game at 7-all in the eighth on a two-run single by Nicky Lopez before Anderson answered in the bottom half. Anderson was making his first start since suffering an injury to his right wrist during Friday's loss to Minnesota.

Alex Colome worked around a one-out single in the ninth to earn his 11th save in as many opportunities.

Leury Garcia added three hits and a highlight reel catch for the White Sox. Garcia dazzled the crowd with defensive heroics in the fifth, ascending above the center field wall to take a would-be solo home run away from Soler.

Sparkman fared much less favorably in his second spot start of the season than he did his first, when he defeated the Tampa Bay Rays behind seven shutout innings on May 1.

Before his ejection, the right-hander allowed four runs on three hits in one-plus inning with zero strikeouts or walks, exiting after throwing just 24 pitches and facing seven White Sox batters. Righty Jorge Lopez followed, yielding three runs on five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Abreu delivered the key blow against Jorge Lopez, punctuating a five-run second inning with a three-run, opposite-field home run to right with two out. Yolmer Sanchez (two hits) had an RBI single earlier in the inning, while Charlie Tilson contributed a run-scoring groundout.

Reynaldo Lopez spaced five runs and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.

Whit Merrifield had three hits for the Royals, while Nicky Lopez and Soler drove in three runs apiece.

--Field Level Media

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