Sox triumph in 11th against Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jordan Danks atoned for a baserunning blunder in the ninth inning by hitting a solo home run in the 11th that lifted the White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 2-1 Monday.

Danks connected with two outs off Kelvin Herrera (2-3) for his first homer of the season. The White Sox avoided a three-game sweep and won for only the fifth time in 18 tries in Kauffman Stadium.

The White Sox trailed 1-0 before loading the bases with no outs in the ninth. After Paul Konerko grounded into a home-to-first double play, Danks entered as a pinch-runner at second base for Adam Dunn.

Conor Gillaspie was intentionally walked to load the bases. Alexei Ramirez followed with an infield single up the middle that made it 1-all, but Danks was caught in a rundown between third and home and tagged out, ending the rally.

Jesse Crain (1-1) pitched one scoreless inning for the win in what had been a duel between starters James Shields and Chris Sale. Addison Reed worked the 11th for his 11th save in 12 opportunities.

Shields threw eight shutout innings and handed a 1-0 lead to Greg Holland starting the ninth.

The White Sox immediately loaded the bases on singles by Jeff Keppinger, Alex Rios and Dunn, setting up the tying sequence.

Shields, who lost to Sale 1-0 on opening day in Chicago, allowed just two hits and struck out a season-best nine. He walked two.

Sale was almost as sharp, going 7 1-3 innings and allowing one run on six hits, with five strikeouts and no walks.

With two outs and one on in the sixth, Ramirez hit a drive over the fence in left field near the foul pole. It was ruled a foul ball and the call was upheld after umpires went into the tunnel to look at video replays.

Alex Gordon hit a leadoff single in the first for Kansas City and scored when Billy Butler lined a double down the left-field line.

After Gordon’s two-out single in the third, Sale retired 15 straight batters until Salvador Perez doubled into the gap with two out in the seventh.