Eric Hosmer had three hits and doubled in the winning run in the ninth inning to lift Kansas City to a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night that extended the Royals’ winning streak to six games.

Hosmer’s liner over the head of left fielder Juan Pierre scored Alex Gordon, who led off the inning with a single. After Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice bunt moved Gordon to second, Billy Butler was walked intentionally.

It was the Royals’ 12th walk-off victory this season.

Greg Holland (5-1) worked the ninth to pick up the victory. Matt Thornton (1-5) took the loss in the White Sox’ sixth straight defeat.

Mike Moustakas and Jeff Francoeur each had three hits and drove in two runs for the Royals.

The last time the Royals won six consecutive games was May 2-7, 2009.

Moustakas, who hit a minor league-leading 36 home runs last year, hit Philip Humber’s 2-1 pitch into the right-field bullpen for his third home run with Francoeur aboard in the fourth. After going 281 at-bats without a home run, Moustakas has hit two in his past three games.

Francoeur singled home Butler in the first and Hosmer in the fourth. Francoeur led off the sixth with a single, advanced to third on Moustakas’ single and scored on Johnny Giavotella’s fielder’s choice grounder. Butler drove in Gordon with a first-inning single.

Royals starter Felipe Paulino allowed three runs on seven hits, while walking three and striking out three. He left with a 6-3 lead that the bullpen failed to hold.

Humber, who was 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in his previous three starts, gave up six runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out four in six innings in a no-decision. That matched the most runs Humber had permitted this year.

A.J. Pierzynski, who had three hits Thursday, drove in two of the White Sox’ runs with a sacrifice fly in the first and a single in the seventh.

The White Sox tied it at 6-6 in the eighth on Brent Morel’s two-run homer off Royals rookie left-hander Tim Collins.

Alexei Ramirez had three singles and drove in a run in the fifth for the White Sox.

— Associated Press —

Billy Butler had the big hit — a three-run homer — while Melky Cabrera had four hits, including a home run and a historic double.

Butler three-run homer in the sixth propelled Kansas City to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night for the Royals fifth straight victory.

The loss officially eliminated the White Sox from the playoffs.

“It’s a very disappointing, very inconsistent season,” White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. “I have regrets. Regrets we didn’t play better. I thought we had a better shot to win the division. Detroit earned it with the way they’ve played.”

The Royals’ five-game winning streak is their longest since they won five straight from Sept. 7-11, 2009.

Butler was in a 2-for-27 skid coming into the game.

“I’ve had a string of a bad week or so,” Butler said. “It’s good to come out of it. I hit that ball good and did some damage with it. I had a couple of more opportunities. Up and down the lineup we’re doing well. We’re picking each other up.”

Cabrera’s four-hit game matched a career high and his double in the sixth was his 40th as an outfielder — he has one as a DH. The Royals are the first team in major league history to have three outfielders with 40 or more doubles. Alex Gordon and Jeff Francoeur both have 45.

“When you look at our outfield offensively, the first time in the history of the game three outfielders have 40-plus doubles and add that to the fact that the same outfield is leading all of baseball in assists (with 50), they are a pretty special group,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

“The three outfielders have been the cornerstone of our team. They are the veteran guys. They provide all the leadership. They provide a big chunk of the offense and a big chunk of the defense.”

Cabrera raised his average to .303.

“Melky has been a huge addition,” Butler said. “The way he played tonight was unbelievable. That’s the way he’s been all year. He’s been very consistent. You can pretty much look at any game and he’s made a difference for us offensively.”

Butler’s 19th home run in the sixth inning came off Mark Buehrle (11-9), who has lost five of his last six starts. Buehrle, who gave up a career high 15 hits, left in the seventh inning after being struck in the left biceps by an Alcides Escobar line drive. Buehrle said he does not anticipate he will miss his next start.

“It’s fine,” he said. “I could have stayed in, but there’s no reason when you’re getting your fanny handed to you.”

Buehrle has a career 22-12 career record against Kansas City.

“Its feast or famine, that’s the way it is with him,” Butler said. “Throughout his career, it’s been more feast for him than us. It’s good to get one from him. It took a shot off his arm to get him out of there. He’s given us a lot of tough times in the past.”

Cabrera homered in the first, while Butler scored on Salvador Perez’s two-out single for the second run of the inning.

Left-hander Jeff Francis, who was 1-5 in his previous seven starts, allowed two runs, eight hits and two walks in six innings. Both runs off Francis (6-16) came on sacrifice flies — by Alex Ramirez in the third and Tyler Flowers in the sixth.

“Look at his full body of work over the course of the year and he’s pitched much better than his record will indicate,” Yost said. “He’s had a real solid year.”

Every Royal had a hit except for Gordon, who walked twice. Perez’s three hits matched his career high, while Yamaico Navarro drove in two runs with a single and a sacrifice fly.

The White Sox opened the sixth with singles by Paul Konerko, Alex Rios and A.J. Pierzynski, but Francis limited them to one run on Flowers’ sacrifice fly.

— Associated Press —

Luke Hochevar had the flu. Still, the Kansas City Royals right-hander was healthy enough to curb a sickly Minnesota Twins offense.

Hochevar pitched six solid innings and Mike Moustakas had three hits and drove in two runs as the Royals defeated the Twins 7-3 Wednesday.

The Royals have won four straight, matching the longest winning streak of the season, while the Twins have lost 19 of 23 and are in last place in the AL Central after winning the division the past two years. The Twins scored 10 runs and committed seven errors in losing all five on this trip to Kansas City and Detroit.

“Hoch got the flu (Tuesday) and has been battling a low-grade fever,” Royals manager Ned Yost. “After six innings, his tank was on empty. He was done.”

Hochevar (11-11) gave up two runs on five hits in six innings. Hochevar improved to 6-3 in 12 starts since the All-Star break.

“Something kind of came on after we got back from Seattle.” Hochevar said. “I didn’t have the energy I normally have. My body felt dead and tired. It’s part of it. What it comes down to it, it doesn’t really matter how you feel, its how you execute. I just went out and tried to execute good pitches.

“They were real aggressive. They were swinging at first and second pitches. I let them put the ball in play and let our defense work.”

Moustakas drove in runs in the second and fourth inning with singles. He doubled and scored in the two-run sixth inning.

“Moose has gotten on track really nice,” Yost said. “His swings are much better. He’s really driving the ball nice. The double he hit off the wall would have been a home run (Tuesday). The wind was really howling in. I didn’t think you could smoke a ball to the wall today in center field and he did.”

Moustakas has 19 multi-hit games and his three hits ties a career high.

“I was just happy I put solid contact on that and (Ben) Revere didn’t make one of his circus catches out there,” Moustakas said of his double. “My first two at-bats, I had runners on first and second, which makes my job a whole lot easier.”

Jeff Francoeur also had three hits and scored two runs. Eric Hosmer, Francoeur and Moustakas — the Royals’ four, five and six hitters — went a combined 8-for-12 and scored five runs.

Salvador Perez drove in a pair of runs with a fourth inning double and a sixth inning single.

Johnny Giavotella had two RBIs without a hit. His sacrifice fly in the second scored Francoeur. In the three-run fourth, Giavotella reached on a Trevor Plouffe throwing error, allowing Francoeur to score.

Greg Holland, one of six rookies used by the Royals, got the final two outs to log his third save in five opportunities. Yost said closer Joakim Soria has a hamstring injury and was not available.

“It’s not serious, but we don’t want to push it this late in the season,” Yost said.

Liam Hendricks, who was making his second big league start, was roughed up for five runs on eight hits in five innings. Hendricks (0-2) was 12-6 with a 3.36 ERA in the minors before his Sept. 6 promotion.

“They’re a fastball hitting team and I missed with my fastballs,” Hendricks said. “I need to make better pitches with my fastball. I threw some good pitches they hit and I threw some bad pitches they hit harder. I’ve got to make sure I can throw my fastball with better location.”

Danny Valencia, Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer had the Twins RBIs. Cuddyer had two hits, including a triple, and walked with the bases loaded in the seventh. Three Kansas City relievers combined to walk six in three innings.

The Twins scored 10 runs and committed nine errors in losing all five on this trip to Kansas City and Detroit.

— Associated Press —