Sox still can’t solve Chen
Billy Butler and Melky Cabrera homered to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 5-1 win over the White Sox on Friday night.
Bruce Chen continued his mastery of the White Sox, holding Chicago to one hit over six innings. Chen (7-5) is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three starts against the White Sox this season.
Butler homered in the sixth and had an RBI single in the first. Cabrera broke the game open with a three-run homer in the ninth.
Alex Gordon singled, doubled, walked twice, scored a run, stole a base and reached on catcher’s interference for the Royals, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Rookie Zach Stewart (1-2) pitched well in his home debut as a member of the White Sox. He held the Royals to two runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings.
Juan Pierre had an RBI single, driving in Chicago’s only run in the ninth, and walked twice.
Chicago’s Paul Konerko singled, extending his hitting streak to nine games, and walked twice. The White Sox had just three hits in the game but still managed to strand 10 runners.
The White Sox have lost seven straight at U.S. Cellular Field and 13 of their last 17. Chicago fell five games behind Detroit in the AL Central.
Butler’s two hits came on the heels of his 1-for-15 series at Tampa Bay. Butler has hit eight of his 14 home runs in the month since the All-Star break.
Chen walked three batters and hit two more combined in the first three innings.
Alex Rios ended both the first and third by flying out with the bases loaded. Rios, who entered the game hitting .170 in 94 at-bats with runners in scoring position, was loudly booed after each plate appearance.
After the White Sox were unable to take advantage of Chen’s early wildness, he recovered to retire the last seven batters he faced and 10 of the last 11.
Brent Morel was the only baserunner in that stretch, reaching on a double error in the fourth. Chen appeared to have struck out Morel with an 0-2 pitch was called for a quick pitch, an automatic ball.
NOTES: White Sox OF Alejandro De Aza took groundballs at first base during pregame drills. Manager Ozzie Guillen said that if Adam Dunn continues to struggle, De Aza gives him another first base option against right-handed pitching. ... Pitcher Kyle Davies cleared waivers on Friday after being released by the Royals on Wednesday and is now a free agent. Since he went unclaimed, Kansas City will be responsible for the balance of Davies’ contract. Davies was arrested early Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Fla., for disorderly intoxication, an incident the Royals didn’t learn about until Thursday. ... The Royals assigned LHP Clayton Schulz to their rookie-league affiliate in Arizona. Schulz, who was signed recently by Kansas City from a collegiate league team in Chillicothe, Mo., survived a shark attack in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., in July of 2010. He received more than 400 stitches after being bitten while surfing. ... The Royals activated C Brayan Pena, who had been away on maternity leave, and sent C Manuel Pina to Triple-A Omaha. ... Jake Peavy will start for Chicago on Saturday against Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar. Hochevar is 4-0 over his last eight starts, with the Royals going 7-1 in those games. Peavy has dropped four of his last five decisions. ... White Sox C A.J. Pierzynski had to leave the game after being hit on the right wrist by a pitch in the third. X-rays on the injury were negative and he’s listed as day-to-day. ... Chicago’s Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch in the first inning. It was the 23rd hit by pitch for Quentin this season, tying a White Sox record set by Minnie Minoso in 1956. ... The Royals stole five bases in the game, one shy of their season high. Kansas City has stolen five or more bases three times this season.