Abreu runs hitting streak to 19 in White Sox' victory

With Labor Day weekend upon us, the mad dash to the finish line has begun for every major-league team in the playoff hunt.

It's also the perfect time for commentators and writers to debate MVP candidates, two of which reside on the South Side of Chicago in Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu. Picking one over the other, though, is no easy task, especially when they play pivotal roles in White Sox victories night after night.

It was more of the same Saturday in Kansas City as Anderson smashed the first pitch he saw to center field for a double, and Abreu followed with a 2-run homer to extend his hitting streak to 19 games. Lucas Giolito pitched 6 strong innings, Luis Robert made a highlight reel catch in the bottom of the ninth, and the first-place Sox beat the Royals to improve to 25-15.

"We're putting it all together," said Giolito, who gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, struck out nine and improved to 4-2. "We showed up to spring training with a lot of confidence, knowing what our team is capable of and now we're going out and showing it on a nightly basis."

With Abreu and Anderson leading the way.

Abreu (.317, .988 OPS) now has 13 home runs and 40 RBI. Anderson, who added an RBI single in the fifth, is hitting. 360 and might become the first White Sox player to win back-to-back batting titles.

"Just an outstanding job by those two guys, and they continue to grow and mature as major-league players," said manager Rick Renteria "Timmy has made the biggest jump in the last four years. There were always certain questions that were asked and he's ... put himself out there on the board and showing everybody what he's capable of doing."

The Sox won despite getting only 5 hits. The other 2 came from Yasmani Grandal, who made it 5-1 by smashing a towering 2-run homer in the top of the fifth.

Giolito, who threw a no-hitter against Pittsburgh on Aug. 25, retired 10 straight after allowing a solo homer to Bubba Starling in the third. He was removed after Maikel Franco drove in Ryan O'Hearn with an RBI double in the seventh to make it 5-2.

Alex Colome pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save. He was helped by Robert's sensational diving catch off a ball that Franco crushed into right-center.

"Just about every night (Robert) does something that makes jaws drop," Giolito said. "I can't say enough good things about him. The stuff you guys don't see - how much work he puts in, how much he wants to learn, how much he wants to get better.

"He's an unbelievable player. ... Very, very happy he's on our team."

Giolito wanted to give an overused bullpen a break and was a bit unhappy that he couldn't get at least one out in the seventh inning. Ross Detwiler and Jimmy Cordero got through the eventful frame, though, and Codi Heuer pitched a perfect eighth.

Said Renteria of the bullpen: "All those guys are kind of feeding on each other, because they are all learning how to have the right mindset to continue to push themselves and be effective in pitching when called upon."

The Sox remain a half-game ahead of Cleveland and Minnesota in the AL Central.