KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eric Skoglund overcame a leadoff homer by Tim Anderson that led to a bench-clearing incident, pitching Kansas City past the Chicago White Sox 5-2 to end the Royals’ five-game losing streak and give them a split of Saturday’s day-night doubleheader.
Anderson celebrated as he rounded the bases and Royals catcher Salvador Perez said something to him as he crossed the plate.
In the bottom of the first, Perez reached on an error and moved to second base when Lucas Duda walked to load the bases. There, Perez and Anderson, the shortstop, had more words as both dugouts and bullpens emptied.
No punches were thrown and order was quickly restored. Perez and Anderson shook hands.
The White Sox won the opener 8-0 as Carson Fulmer allowed four singles over seven innings and Daniel Palka had four hits and drove in three runs.
Skoglund (1-2) pitched seven impressive innings to pick up his first win in nearly a year. He retired 15 straight after Anderson’s homer.
Skoglund permitted just two hits and struck out a career-high nine. His only other victory was May 30, 2017, in his big league debut.
Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his fifth save in as many opportunities.
Alex Gordon drove in his first three runs of the season for Kansas City. He had a two-out, two-run single in a three-run first.
Dylan Covey (0-1) allowed four runs, three unearned after left fielder Leury Garcia’s first-inning error, over six innings.
Covey, just recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, is 0-8 in 13 major league starts.
Jorge Soler and Perez hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth for the other Kansas City run.
Fulmer (2-1) left after 109 pitches, walked three and struck out three. In his past two starts, he has allowed seven hits and two runs over 13 innings.
Palka, who was hitless in his first eight at-bats since debuting Wednesday, was a triple shy of a cycle. He hit a three-run homer in the seventh off Burch Smith.
Trevor Oaks (0-1), who was the Royals’ 26h man, gave up five runs on 12 hits over five innings in his major league debut.
WALKING MAN
Soler has walked in nine consecutive games, the longest streak in the majors this season.
BUCHHOLZ UPDATE
Royals RHP Clay Buchholz allowed one earned run on four hits over five innings in a no-decision in a start for Triple-A Omaha at Colorado Springs. The 33-year-old, who was a two-time AL All-Star with Boston, is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in three minor league starts. He signed a minor league contract in late March with the Royals with an out clause if not added to the big league roster by Tuesday.
UP NEXT
The Royals will start RHP Ian Kennedy in the series finale. He left his previous start after three innings with a bruised toe from a line drive. The White Sox have not yet announced their starter.
— Associated Press —