CHICAGO | Rookie shortstop Mike Aviles extended his hitting streak to 10 games Sunday by going three for five in the Royals’ 8-7 victory over the Chicago White Sox.</p><p> Consider it another small question answered, another small hurdle cleared.</p><p> Yes, Aviles can make adjustments at the big-league level.</p><p> The hitting streak follows a zero-for-17 skid in which Aviles looked lost at times as opposing pitchers adjusted their approach.</p><p> “They’re (still) trying to get me to chase quite a bit,” he said. “If I was a pitcher, I’d be doing it to myself, too. I’ve just got to make my adjustments and counteract it.”</p><p> Aviles has 19 hits in his last 43 at-bats and has his average up to .318.</p><p> “He’s showing the ability to make the adjustments that they’re trying to make to him,” manager Trey Hillman said. “When he’s had bad at-bats and poor plate appearances because of swinging out of the strike zone, or not being balanced on his swings in the strike zone, he’s had the ability to (fix) that quicker — within the same game, even.”</p><p> This much is certain: The starting shortstop job belongs to Aviles until he proves he can’t handle it. Former starter Tony Peña is buried on the bench.</p><p> “The most productive thing for us to do,” Hillman said, “is stay put with Mike right now.”</p><p> Aviles said he was unfazed by the brief slump.</p><p> “I had a pretty good slump (this season) in Triple-A, too,” he said. “During the course of a season, if you get 500 to 600 at-bats, you’re going to have two or three slumps. It’s just a matter of how long you stay in them and how quickly you get out of them.” </p><p><b>Guillen delivers late</b> </p><p> Back spasms kept outfielder José Guillen out of the starting lineup for the third straight game, but he made an impact after entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning.</p><p> Guillen batted for slumping Alex Gordon and started the winning rally when he reached safely when hit by a pitch from Chicago reliever Octavio Dotel.</p><p> “I didn’t really like the way Alex was swinging the bat today,” Hillman said. “I thought Hosey would inject a little more fear. He was able to get his back loose. Hopefully, we’ll have him available (tonight).”</p><p> Guillen’s biggest contribution came in the Chicago eighth when he protected the one-run lead by throwing out A.J. Pierzynski at the plate. It was Guillen’s seventh outfield assist of the season.</p><p><b>Nuñez expected back</b> </p><p> Reliever Leo Nuñez should rejoin the active roster before Monday’s game against Detroit at Kauffman Stadium. He hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since suffering a strained muscle in his upper back May 27 against the Twins.</p><p> Nuñez made five minor-league rehab appearances, including a six-up, six-down outing last Thursday for Class AA Northwest Arkansas against Arkansas.</p><p> The Royals must make a corresponding roster move to clear space for Nuñez, who was 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA in 21 appearances before his injury.</p><p><b>Dye injured</b> </p><p> Chicago outfielder Jermaine Dye left the game after being hit in the right knee by reliever Horacio Ramirez in the fourth inning. That followed Paul Konerko being hit in the hand by Royals starter Brian Bannister in the first inning.</p><p> So it was no surprise when the first pitch in the fifth by Chicago reliever D.J. Carrasco buzzed Billy Butler. Carrasco’s pitch also prompted a warning to both benches by home-plate umpire Mike Reilly, the crew chief.</p><p> Dye was diagnosed with a bruise after X-rays were negative.</p><p> Dotel hit José Guillen with a pitch in the eighth inning, but Reilly apparently saw no intent — none appeared evident — and chose not to eject Dotel and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.