KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Mike Moustakas has three home runs in two games after going nine games without any.
Moustakas homered twice, and Salvador Perez, Brandon Moss and Jorge Bonifacio also went deep to lead the Kansas City Royals over the White Sox 7-2 Saturday night, extending Chicago’s longest losing streak in two years to eight games.
“I’m more focused on winning,” Moustakas said. “Homers are part of the game. It definitely feels good to hit some homers though especially when they put us in a lead.”
Melky Cabrera had his second four-hit game in a week and gave the White Sox a 2-0 lead with a home run in the third inning and an RBI double in the fifth.
In a game that began with a 99-degree temperature and 112 heat index, Mike Pelfrey took a two-hitter into the sixth but put leadoff man Lorenzo Cain on with his sixth walk. David Holmberg (1-3) relieved, retired Eric Hosmer on a flyout, then gave up three homers in an eight-pitch span.
Perez’s two-run homer tied the score, Moustakas homered two pitches later, Alcides Escobar grounded out and Moss homered for a 4-2 lead, a drive that would have gone 436 feet unimpeded. Whit Merrifield added an RBI single off Juan Minaya.
“I was trying to sit on an offspeed pitch,” Moustakas said. “Just looking at the reports, I have a pretty good idea on what he’s throwing right there and got enough of it to get out of the yard.”
Bonifacio homered in the seventh, and Moustakas hit his 28th this season leading off the eighth against Brad Goldberg. Kansas City’s five homers matched a season high.
“We just weren’t able to hold them,” White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “It didn’t work out for Holmy today.”
Chicago, an AL-worst 38-56, had not lost eight in a row since June 12-19, 2015.
Scott Alexander (2-3) relieved Jason Vargas with two on and no outs in the sixth and got three straight outs. Vargas allowed two runs and seven hits.
“I’m trying to get a ground ball,” Alexander said. “We were able to get out of it out there.”
Pelfrey is 0-2 in his last six starts.
“I didn’t expect to win the game when you walk six guys,” Pelfrey said. “That’s pretty embarrassing. It’s something that’s kind of plagued me all year, and I need to be better.”
ROYALS MOVES
RHP Jakob Junis was recalled from Triple-A Omaha by the Royals, who optioned OF Billy Burns to their Pacific Coast League affiliate. Junis gave the Royals a nine-man bullpen after Kansas City relievers worked 10 innings the previous two nights. The bullpen was required for four more innings Saturday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: RHP Jeff Petricka (right elbow strain) pitched a scoreless inning Saturday for Triple-A Charlotte in his first injury rehabilitation appearance. He threw five of eighth pitches for strikes. . OF Leury Garcia, who went on the DL June 26 with sprained finger on his left hand, is working out at the White Sox complex in Glendale, Arizona. “It’s just going a little slower than we might have wanted it to, but he’s getting better,” Renteria said.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Derek Holland is slated to pitch Sunday after going 1-6 with an 8.44 ERA in his past nine starts, allowing 14 home runs in 42 2/3 innings.
Royals: LHP Travis Wood is 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA in his first two starts, allowing a .762 slugging percentage.
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