Salvador Perez led a dominating Kansas City Royals performance with a solo home run and a two-run double in an eight-run fifth inning, while Ryan Bergert pitched six strong innings to help the Royals rout the Chicago White Sox 12-1.
After being shut out in the first two games of the series, Kansas City exploded for 17 runs over the last 11 innings, taking two of three in Chicago. The Royals remain three games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final American League wild card spot.
White Sox starter Aaron Civale held the Royals to one hit through the first four innings, but faltered in the fifth. Following Perez’s home run and Adam Frazier’s single, Civale was replaced after Bobby Witt Jr.’s two-run single gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead. The Royals continued the rally with Vinnie Pasquantino’s two-run single, Perez’s two-run double, and Frazier’s RBI single. Civale was charged with five runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, with one walk and four strikeouts.
Bergert (2-1) earned his first win in five starts since joining the Royals via a trade deadline deal with San Diego. He allowed one run on six hits over six innings, walking two and striking out three. His only blemish was a solo homer by Andrew Benintendi in the fourth inning.
Mike Yastrzemski added a three-run homer in the sixth for Kansas City. Catcher Korey Lee pitched the eighth and ninth for Chicago, allowing six baserunners but only one run. Benintendi finished with three hits, while Edgar Quero had two. Frazier went 3-for-5 to pace the Royals’ 16-hit attack, with Michael Massey, Kyle Isbel, Yastrzemski, Witt Jr., and Perez each adding two hits. Yastrzemski and Perez had three RBIs apiece.
Chicago placed center fielder Luis Robert Jr. on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain, which had forced him out of Tuesday’s game. Bobby Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to a major league-best 16 games.
