Rain suspends Sox-Royals game after 8 innings
On the bright side, the White Sox didn't lose another game to the Royals on Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
And, following Thursday night's fisticuffs, nary a punch was thrown between the two AL Central competitors.
But the Sox didn't win, either.
Play was suspended at the end of eight innings because of rain with the score tied at 2-2. The game is scheduled to be picked up Saturday at 1:10 p.m., followed by the regularly scheduled game. With rain in the forecast, the White Sox and Royals might have to wait until Sunday.
As for Friday, the Royals took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Paulo Orlando led off with a double against Sox starter Jose Quintana and scored on Alcides Escobar's one-out single.
The White Sox, who have lost 15 of their last 18 to K.C., tied it in the fourth when Alexei Ramirez led off against starter Danny Duffy and reached second on Escobar's throwing error. Ramirez tagged and moved to third base on Adam LaRoche's flyout to center field and after Gordon Beckham the first of his three walks, Tyler Flowers grounded out to score Ramirez.
In the fifth inning, Alex Gordon drew a leadoff walk against Quintana and scored on Orlando's single to put the Royals in front 2-1.
The Sox tied it back up in the seventh when Adam Eaton led off with a triple against Kansas City reliever Franklin Morales and scored on Melky Cabrera's sacrifice fly.
After allowing 9 runs on 10 hits in 4 innings in his last start, against the Tigers, Quintana held the Royals to 2 runs on 7 hits in 7 innings.
"He battled," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "The one walk there kind of bit him. From where he was, I think right now this is the guy we're used to seeing. He battles and gives you a chance."
Jose Abreu appeared to injure his right shoulder or wrist in the third inning chasing Escobar to second base in a rundown, but the White Sox' best hitter just knocked the wind out of himself and stayed in the game.
Suspension watch:
With so much information to sift through in the wake of Thursday night's White Sox-Royals brawl, major-league baseball has not announced any suspensions or fines.
The Sox' top two starting pitchers, Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija, are hoping the penalties are not too severe. Both were ejected from Thursday's game.
"We need to pitch," Samardzija said. "We need to pitch every game we can. That's the consequences you deal with. Like I said, we need to act a little more mature and understand that things happen within games and we need to control ourselves better and we'll go about it that way and we'll learn from it.
"But we understand as two starters on this team that we're very important to this team and we need to play and you definitely can't do your team any help when you're watching from afar."
Said Sale: "I don't know what course they're going to take, but you deal with it. You're supposed to be responsible for your actions and we will. Whatever comes our way we're going to handle and we're going to take it and just move forward."