Associated Press

CHICAGO — Adam Dunn showed signs of coming out of a season-long slump.

The struggling slugger hit a clutch two-run homer in the eighth inning before a crazy finish gave the Chicago White Sox a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

“I hadn’t hit one in so long I almost forgot,” Dunn said. “Seriously. I know it hit it on the barrel and hit it straight up. But I’m just glad there was little wind that blew it out.”

A.J. Pierzynski scored the winning run on a balk called on Aaron Crow in the ninth after the Royals had tied it on a homer first ruled a triple in the top of the inning.

With the Royals trailing 4-3 in the ninth, Eric Hosmer led off with what appeared to be a homer off White Sox closer Sergio Santos (3-3). Second base umpire Alfonso Marquez signaled the ball was in play as Hosmer advanced to third. Royals manager Ned Yost contested the call, and the umpire reviewed it. Moments after the review, Marquez signaled a homer.

Ramon Castro also hit a solo shot in the fifth for the White Sox, who have won five of its last six games.

Pierzynski led off the ninth with a pinch-hit single off Crow (2-2) in the ninth, then advanced to second on Gordon Beckham’s sacrifice bunt. Pierzynski moved to third on a wild pitch, and after striking out Mark Teahen, Crow walked pinch-hitter Juan Pierre.

With Dunn up and facing a 1-0 count, Pierzynski noticed Crow’s front shoulder move after he saw it, Pierzynski alerted the umpires and that prompted the players in the White Sox’s dugout to jump up and plate Ed Rapuano then called a balk, giving Chicago the win.

“He just came up a little bit,” Pierzynski said. “It wasn’t much, but I’ve seen it called a lot of times. I just saw his front shoulder (move), and then he realized and stepped off and didn’t think anyone saw it. No one reacted. It took a second for everyone to finally realize what he had done. It was a good way to win. Good comeback. I’m happy for Adam. It’s got to feel great for him, and Mark pitched well. It’s a big win.”

Yost argued the call with Rapuano before heading back to the dugout.

“He was adamant that it was a balk,” Yost said. “I’ve looked at the replay four or five times and I’m having a hard time seeing it. Eddie said that he turned his shoulder before he stepped off.”

Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur didn’t appreciate Rapuano taking the game out of the players’ hands.

“I love Ed Rapuano and he’s one of my favorite (umpires), but you better be damn well sure if someone balks when you call a game on that,” said Francoeur, who homered. “It’s a shame because you’ve got an All-Star reliever up there, you’ve got Adam Dunn in the box, the crowd was going crazy. It’s a great atmosphere, and you’re going to call a balk to end the game. I just don’t see it. I’ve always respected Ed, he’s always done a great job, but to make that call in that situation, to me, that’s not right. …

“I understand if he drops the ball or blatantly moves, but he’s calling him for flinching when he’s stepping back off the mound. What the hell are you supposed to do? How are you supposed to step off? It’s a disappointing call.”

After the game, the umpires declined an interview request.

With Kansas City holding a 3-2 lead, Crow allowed a leadoff single to Brent Morel in the eighth and Dunn followed with his eighth homer of the season on a 1-1 pitch to right field to put the White Sox ahead 4-3.

Dunn, who came in hitting .165, received a loud ovation from the 31,077 fans in attendance — prompting a curtain call. It was his first home run since June 12 against Oakland. He also passed Joe DiMaggio on the career list, putting him at 77 with 362 career homers.

Earlier in the game, Dunn singled to right in the fourth inning, prompting a Bronx cheer from the fans. Dunn, acknowledged the crowd by tipping his helmet to the fans. But Dunn says he understands where the fans are coming from.

“I promise you it’s a way better feeling that way than the other way,” he said. “I appreciate them, especially tonight, sticking with it. The thing about the fans, they boo and stuff because they want to see the team and personally do so well. That’s how I’ve been looking at it. It makes it more special when they cheer like that.”

Santos couldn’t hold the lead after allowing the homer to Hosmer in the ninth. It was Santos’ third blown save of the season.

Mark Buehrle allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings for the White Sox, who began a stretch of 19 consecutive games against AL Central division rivals. Last season, the Chicago finished 32-40 against AL Central opponents and are 7-11 against the division this season.

Jeff Francis allowed two runs over on seven hits over six innings. He struck out four without allowing a walk for the Royals, who have lost six of seven.

Associated Press

DENVER — Melky Cabrera staked Kansas City to an early lead. His teammates made it stand up.

Cabrera homered twice and drove in five runs as the Kansas City Royals tied a team record with 12 extra-base hits and outslugged Carlos Gonzalez and the Colorado Rockies 16-8 Sunday.

“Great day,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Two homers, swung the bat well and a triple shy of the cycle.”

Cabrera and Eric Hosmer, who also homered, had four hits apiece as Kansas City ended a five-game losing streak. Mike Moustakas and Jeff Francoeur each got three of the Royals’ season-high 21 hits.

The Royals’ 12 extra-base hits tied a franchise record set May 13, 1979. Cabrera matched his career best for hits and RBIs.

“Melky got us started and after that we just started driving the ball,” Francoeur said. “We’ve got an offense that’s pretty good. We can score some runs, but the last two weeks we’ve struggled.”

Kansas City tagged Jason Hammel (4-8) for six runs in 3 2/3 innings. Cabrera hit a solo homer in the first and a three-run homer in the third, and the Royals took a 6-0 lead in the fourth.

“We were aggressive and we had a pretty good approach against that guy,” Cabrera said.

Gonzalez homered and tied a career high with six RBIs. But he left in the seventh inning after he ran into the center-field wall and injured his right wrist.

Gonzalez caught Brayan Pena’s fly, hit the wall and was down on the warning track for several minutes. He was driven off the field on a cart and taken to a hospital for X-rays.

“We don’t think that there’s anything serious,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “He went face first into that wall, making what we think is the play of the year. He was more sore on the glove hand, his right wrist.”

Several teammates jogged out to center to check on Gonzalez.

“I went out there after he hit the wall and I think he’s OK, but I’m not a doctor,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “Give him credit, he’s not scared of the wall. He plays the game the right way.”

Colorado rallied for five runs in the fifth against Kansas City starter Luke Hochevar, a Denver native. Gonzalez hit a three-run double and Mark Ellis hit a two-run homer — his second home run in three games with Colorado.

Reliever Blake Wood (4-0) struck out Tulowitzki and Seth Smith to end the threat. Wood got the win despite allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings.

The Royals scored six runs in the sixth against reliever Matt Belisle. Moustakas had two hits in the inning and Francoeur had a two-run double to give the Royals a 12-5 lead.

“Those tack-on runs were huge,” Yost said. “When you score early, get a six-run lead and they come back and score five runs and you snuff it out with another six spot, it’s huge.”

During the burst, Kansas City outfielder Alex Gordon left the game after getting hit by a pitch on the left knee. Yost said Gordon suffered a bruise and is day-to-day.

The Rockies got three runs back on Gonzalez’s homer in the bottom half, his 13th of the season. Hosmer hit his sixth homer, a three-run drive in a four-run seventh that made it 16-8.

“When they made it 12-8 we put up four more,” Francoeur said. “It was fun to play in a game like this where everybody’s chipping in. Hopefully this will give us confidence going forward.”

Associated Press

From demoted A-ball starter to All-Star rookie reliever, Aaron Crow earned a spot in Major League Baseball’s Mid-Summer Classic.

Crow was among the 33 players selected to the American League roster on Sunday, completing a quick rise from struggling prospect to the apex of baseball honors. He is the fourth Royals rookie to make the All-Star team joining Ellie Rodriguez, Kevin Seitzer and Mike MacDougal.

While Crow earned the trip as a dominant setup reliever, outfielder Alex Gordon wasn’t as lucky.

The former No. 2 overall draft pick is in the midst of the best season for a Royals’ left fielder since Willie Wilson in 1980. However, not voted in as a starter, Gordon did not receive a spot on the roster from Texas manager Ron Washington, the skipper of this year’s All-Star team.

However, Gordon is competing against four other American League players in a fan vote for the 34th and final spot on the All-Star roster. The competing players are Detroit first baseman Victor Martinez, Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko, Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones and Tampa Bay second baseman Ben Zobrist.

Voting runs until Thursday.

Crow won’t have to wait, making Washington’s list of pitchers.

“My dad usually can’t shut up,” Crow told The Associated Press, “but when I called him he had just seen it on TV and he was speechless. He couldn’t say anything. It was nice to see him react that way.”

The 12th overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, Crow spent last year in the minor leagues as a starting pitcher. He was demoted midseason from AA Northwest Arkansas to Class A Wilmington.

Crow was 9-10 with a 5.73 ERA during the two stops.

However, Crow made the team out of spring training this year after a strong showing out of the bullpen. That continued into the season where the University of Missouri product didn’t allow a run over his first 16 2/3 innings as mostly a setup man.

Crow currently owns a 1.36 ERA in 39 2/3 innings, mostly as a setup man to closer Joakim Soria.

The selection of Crow came at the expense of the perceived favorite to represent the Royals.

Gordon has finally made good on the expectations heaped upon him after being drafted out of Nebraska. Despite leaving Sunday’s game after being hit on his left knee with a pitch, Gordon completed a spectacular series in Colorado. He had five hits in the first two games, and his average sits at .301.

Gordon has 38 extra-base hits thus far — 10 of them home runs — and he’s third in the American League in hits (98) and doubles (24). He’s also driven in 46.

Entering the season, Gordon’s career highs were 16 home runs (2008) and 60 RBIs (2007).