KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jose Abreu had four hits, Adam Engel hit a three-run homer and the Chicago White Sox pounded out an 11-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Abreu, who hit for the cycle Saturday and had two home runs Sunday, drove in two and scored once while raising his average to .306. He was a homer shy of another cycle.
Engel went deep off Brandon Maurer during a six-run sixth.
Yolmer Sanchez, Yoan Moncada and Abreu, the first three White Sox hitters, combined to go 9 for 16 with six runs and four RBI. Moncada had his first career three-hit game.
Reynaldo Lopez (1-3) gave up three runs and eight hits in six-plus innings to pick up his first victory since Sept. 29, 2016.
The loss dropped the Royals three games behind the Minnesota Twins with 19 games left for the second AL wild card.
Jason Hammel (8-11) was pulled after giving up five runs in 3 1/3 innings, his shortest start since going three innings on April 30. He walked two, including Nicky Delmonico with the bases loaded in the fourth.
The White Sox scored two runs in the first with Moncada’s triple. He scored on Abreu’s single.
Eric Hosmer singled in the Royals’ second, his ninth straight hit, matching the longest streak in the majors this season and one shy of the Royals’ record. He grounded out to third baseman Sanchez leading off the fourth to end the streak.
Brandon Moss homered to begin the Royals’ three-run fifth. Whit Merrifield tripled home Alex Gordon with the second run and scored on Lorenzo Cain’s single, cutting the White Sox advantage to 5-3.
The White Sox have outscored the Royals and San Francisco Giants 32-5 during a three-game winning streak.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (elbow impingement) threw a 46-pitch, three-inning simulated game. “I felt really good,” Duffy said. “I’m anxious to get back and help this team down the stretch. I’ve never been more ready to get back on the field and get ready to go. It’s not ever going to go away until I take care of it. I’ve just got to push through until the end of the season.” If Duffy feels good the next two days, the Royals plan on starting him this weekend at Cleveland. … Royals manager Ned Yost said RHP Ian Kennedy (rotator cuff fatigue) would be skipped a start.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Dylan Covey will make his first start since May 23. He is 0-4 with an 8.12 ERA in eight starts this season.
Royals: RHP Sam Gaviglio will make his second start after being obtained on waivers Sept. 1 from the Mariners.