Taylor and Benintendi pace Kansas City Royals offense to a victory over the White Sox
The rain forced the Kansas City Royals to wait an extra couple of hours on Friday night, but they snapped a four-game losing slide with a victory over the AL Central Division-leading Chicago White Sox that concluded after midnight.
Royals outfielders Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Benintendi collected three hits apiece, and Taylor also drove in three runs in a 7-2 win in the series opener with the White Sox in front of an announced 14,210 at Kauffman Stadium. The game started after a 2-hour, 3-minute rain delay.
The Royals (60-74) surpassed their win total from 2019, their last full-length season. They improved to 9-8 against the White Sox this season.
Adalberto Mondesi, who had a scheduled day off on Thursday, started at third base for the first time in his professional career. He went 1 for 4 with two RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored.
Salvador Perez and Carlos Santana each had two hits. Edward Olivares had a walk, a hit and scored twice.
“We kind of jacked with the lineup a little bit with the lefty and trying to figure out how to get a couple guys going,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said of facing White Sox starter Dallas Keuchel. “... Just a good offensive day, a good offensive approach and good execution.”
Royals starting pitcher Carlos Hernández allowed two runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out three and left with the Royals ahead 7-2. Hernández (5-1) has allowed three earned runs in his last three appearances (18 2/3 innings), including one long relief outing.
The Royals jumped out to a two-run lead in the second after Olivares (walk) and Santana (single) reached base to start the frame. With one out, Taylor’s RBI groundout got the Royals into the scoring column. Benintendi’s RBI double to right-center field made it a two-run advantage.
Mondesi served as the driving force behind a four-run third inning. The Royals loaded the bases on a one-out walk by Nicky Lopez followed by back-to-back singles by Perez and Olivares.
Mondesi roped a 3-2 sinker from Keuchel up the middle for a two-run single. White Sox center fielder Luis Robert’s fielding error allowed the trail runner, Olivares, to score, and Mondesi advanced to second.
After Mondesi stole third, Taylor’s RBI single drove him in for the fourth run of the inning, giving the Royals a 6-0 lead. The Royals chased Keuchel from the game after just three innings.
The Royals were held to three runs or fewer in each of the previous three games this week against the Cleveland Indians.
“I think it’s big to bounce back from a slow series like that against a really good team is a huge adjustment for us and the things we look to do to be the ballclub that we believe we are,” Taylor said.
Taylor added another two-out RBI single in the fifth inning and made it a seven-run advantage. The line-drive single to left field came on a 3-2 slider at the end of an 11-pitch at-bat against White Sox reliever Matt Foster. Matheny called it one of the best at-bats of the season.
“With two strikes there, I’m really just looking to battle,” Taylor said. “Keep him in the strike zone and hit a line drive somewhere. I’m not looking to overswing, and see the ball deep right there. I missed some pretty good pitches to hit, but it’s part of it I guess.”
The White Sox (78-57) scored both of their runs in the sixth on an RBI groundout and a two-out bloop single.
The teams continue their three-game series on Saturday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. The pitching matchup will feature Royals left-hander Daniel Lynch (4-3, 4.47) against White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (3-1, 1.59).
This story was originally published September 4, 2021 at 12:54 AM.
