White Sox clobber Royals in battle of home runs

[September 11, 2019]  Yoan Moncada had three hits, including one of Chicago's three home runs, as the White Sox defeated the visiting Kansas City Royals 7-3 Tuesday night.

The Royals also hit three home runs, but they were all solo shots, while Chicago got a grand slam from Eloy Jimenez and a two-run shot from Moncada.

All 10 of the game's runs came on homers.

The long balls began almost from the outset, with eight runs scoring in the first two innings on five home runs. However, both starting pitchers settled down before leaving in the sixth inning.

Ivan Nova (10-12) picked up the win. He gave up all three of the Royals' home runs and allowed six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five without a walk.

Jakob Junis (9-13) took the loss. He allowed two home runs, but one of them was Jimenez's slam. In five-plus innings, he surrendered five runs on six hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts.

The scoring started when Adalberto Mondesi jumped on Nova in the first with a one-out home run.

The White Sox roughed up Junis in the bottom of the inning.

Leury Garcia lined a single off the top of the wall leading off. Tim Anderson followed with a walk. Moncada lined a single off Junis' left wrist to load the bases with one out, and Jimenez then hit an opposite-field grand slam to right field to give the White Sox a 4-1 lead.

The Royals pulled back within 4-3 when Alex Gordon and Ryan O'Hearn hit back-to-back homers to begin the second inning. O'Hearn's blast traveled 440 feet to straightway center, the longest home run of his career.

White Sox starting pitcher Ivan Nova (46) delivers the ball against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Engel kept the onslaught going with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second, raising Chicago's lead to 5-3. But then nobody scored until Moncada's two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, following a double by Jose Abreu.

--Field Level Media

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