White Sox walk off Royals on wild pitch

[May 17, 2021]    Jose Abreu scored the winning run on a Wade Davis wild pitch and Tim Anderson had three hits as the host Chicago White Sox rallied for a 4-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.

Chicago salvaged a split of the four-game series by scoring a pair of runs in the ninth inning, beginning the rally as Anderson opened with a ground-rule double. Anderson scored on a Yoan Moncada single, but Moncada was thrown out moments before Abreu's heroics as Whit Merrifield corralled a Yermin Mercedes single to nab Moncada at the plate for the second out of the inning.

Chicago White Sox right fielder Adam Eaton (12) catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals first baseman Carlos Santana (41) during the seventh inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Royals catcher Cam Gallagher dived across the plate after collecting Davis' wild pitch, but Abreu, who had two hits, narrowly eluded the tag. The call was upheld following subsequent replay review.

Both teams struggled with runners on base, with the Royals stranding six runners compared to 11 for the White Sox.

Chicago loaded the bases with two out in the eighth, but Royals reliever Greg Holland escaped damage by pouncing on Nick Madrigal's slow, check-swing grounder to make the throw to first base.

Davis (0-2) blew his first save of the season, allowing two runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Matt Foster (2-1) struck out two in a perfect ninth to earn the victory.

Andrew Benintendi paced the Royals with three hits.

Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI sacrifice fly from Salvador Perez.

Chicago finally broke through in the fifth, as Adam Eaton lofted a go-ahead, two-run home run to right center with two strikes and two outs.

The Royals responded with a pair of runs in the seventh, grabbing a 3-2 lead on a Merrifield RBI infield single and a Carlos Santana sacrifice fly.

Bidding for his third win in four starts, White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease kept Chicago afloat behind 5 2/3 innings of three-hit ball, allowing one unearned run. He scattered three walks and three strikeouts while remaining effective despite struggles with his control. He threw 53 of his 88 pitches for strikes.

Royals starter Brady Singer spaced two runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.

--Field Level Media

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