Royals hand White Sox 17th straight loss, 10-3 originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
CHICAGO (AP) — Freddy Fermin launched a two-run home run among his four hits and the Kansas City Royals defeated the White Sox 10-3 on Wednesday, extending Chicago’s franchise-record losing streak to 17 games.
Vinnie Pasquantino added a two-run shot and finished with three RBIs. Salvador Perez had three hits and drove in two runs as the Royals won their third straight.
Major league batting leader Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to 13 games with two singles in the field, increasing his average to .349. The star shortstop walked twice, scored three runs and stole his 24th base.
Andrew Benintendi drove in a two-run double and finished with two hits for the major league-worst White Sox, whose slump is the longest since Arizona lost 17 straight games in 2021.
Chicago (27-84) is 57 games below .500 for the first time and on track to do worse than the 1962 New York Mets, whose 40-120 mark during their inaugural season is the lowest in baseball’s modern era (since 1900) .
Brady Singer (8-6) allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings for his third straight win. The right-hander struck out four, didn’t walk and was only touched up when Chicago scored three times in the second.
Kansas City is 60-49, a 26-win improvement in 2023 in 109 games, and holds an AL wild card.
White Sox rookie Drew Thorpe (3-3) surrendered six runs and seven hits in five innings in a second straight start after five quality starts.
The Royals jumped ahead 1-0 in the first on Pasquantino’s single. Fermín’s sixth home run in the second made it 3-0.
The White Sox were tied in the bottom half. Benintendi drove in two runs with his double and scored on Dominic Fletcher’s single.
Witt came home on Perez’s single in the third to put Kansas City back on top 4-3.
The Royals improved to 6-3 in the fifth. Perez’s liner rolled off Fletcher’s glove in center for a run-scoring double. Hunter Renfroe followed with a sacrifice fly.
Pasquantino’s 12th home run scored his eighth for four runs.
REFORMED ROTATION
RHP Michael Lorenzen, acquired by Kansas City from Texas in a Monday trade, will start Saturday in Detroit.
Lorenzen will fill the void of right-hander Alec Marsh, who was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. Marsh was sent out to make way for reliever Lucas Erceg, who reported to the Royals and pitched a perfect eighth following a trade from Oakland.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox 3B Yoán Moncada, sidelined since April 9 with a left adductor strain, is “intensifying” activity at the team’s training facility in Arizona, manager Pedro Grifol said.
NEXT
Royals: RHP Seth Lugo (12-5, 2.66 ERA) faces RHP Keider Montero (1-4, 6.38) in Detroit on Thursday.
White Sox: RHP Davis Martin (0-0, 3.38 ERA) makes his first start since returning from Tommy John surgery against Twins RHP Joe Ryan (6-7, 3.69) on Friday in Minnesota.
