KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — White Sox reliever Jeanmar Gomez threw away a bunt in the 10th inning Monday night, giving the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 win over Chicago.

Brian Goodwin led off the Royals 10th with a sharp double. Alcides Escobar then bunted and Gomez (0-2) made a wild toss over third baseman Yolmer Sanchez, letting Goodwin score.

Jake Newberry (2-0) pitched one inning.

Whit Merrifield homered on the first pitch from White Sox starter Lucas Giolito. Ryan O’Hearn hit a solo homer in the sixth that made it 3-all — he connected against Chicago in his big league debut on July 31, and now has 10 home runs in 30 games.

Adam Engel and Daniel Palka each homered in the Chicago third against Jakob Junis.

Jose Abreu, activated from the disabled list prior to the game, had three hits for the White Sox. He was put on the DL on Aug. 22 following surgery for testicular torsion.

Junis went eight innings, allowing seven hits. He faced the minimum after giving up Palka’s homer, and has a 2.15 ERA in his last seven starts.

Giolito pitched seven innings for his fifth quality start in his last six outings.

Merrifield hit his third leadoff homer this season and the Royals added another run in the second after a couple of unusual plays.

With a runner on second, Goodwin hit a slow dribbler up the third base line that appeared to be headed foul, but Sanchez touched the ball in fair territory and resulted in an infield hit. Alcides Escobar followed with a blooper to right field, and a run scored while Goodwin was thrown out at second.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: RHP Nate Jones is close to returning from the 60-day disabled list. He has been on the DL since June 24 with a muscle strain in his arm.

Royals: Manager Ned Yost said that RHP Ian Kennedy has only the “normal pitching soreness” following his first appearance since June 23. Kennedy went six innings Sunday in Minnesota. He gave up one run on four hits. … OF Brett Phillips, out since Sept. 5 with a bruised shoulder, took 30 swings off the tee. He said he can swing without pain, but the follow-through causes him to tighten up. There is no timetable for his return.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — He might look more like a fullback than a baseball player. His resume might read more “suspect” than “prospect.” But Willians Astudillo has become something of a folk hero in Minnesota, and on Sunday he rewarded Twins fans for their support.

Astudillo hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave Minnesota a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Max Kepler doubled off Jason Hammel (2-13) with two outs in the Twins ninth. Astudillo then hit a drive deep to left field for his third home run of the season, touching off a raucous celebration at home plate.

The 5-foot-9 Astudillo is conservatively listed at 225 pounds, but he’s a better athlete than his frame might suggest. In two stints with the Twins this year, the 26-year-old rookie has started games at catcher, second base and third base. He played left field and center field in his major league debut at Wrigley Field. And he’s even pitched an inning.

But he’s most known for his aggressive, contact-heavy approach at the plate. In 38 plate appearances with the Twins he’s yet to draw a walk, and he’s only struck out twice. It’s a pattern that he’s followed throughout his minor league career, which has already spanned four franchises.

“I just go out there with a plan to make good contact, a good pitch, specifically a good pitch,” said Astudillo, who took a pitch in the dirt before jumping on a hanging slider from Hammel.

Twins manager Paul Molitor admitted he considered using catcher Mitch Garver to pinch-hit for Astudillo.

“I’m glad I paused,” Molitor said, “because it worked out pretty good.”

“He’s probably going to put it in play, and you hope he finds a hole. And as it turns out he hits it over the fence, so that was a bonus,” he said.

Trevor Hildenberger (4-3) got two outs to pick up the win.

Adalberto Mondesi homered for the Royals, who were held to three hits on the day. The closest they came to a rally was in the third inning, when an error and two walks filled the bases. But Hunter Dozier grounded out to end the threat.

“We had the bases loaded looking for a clutch hit, and we couldn’t get it,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Just not a lot going on offensively for us out there.”

Royals starter Ian Kennedy made his first appearance after missing two months with a strained oblique. He ended up throwing 93 pitches over six innings, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts.

Minnesota starter Chase De Jong made his Twins debut with four scoreless innings, walking four and striking out five. He arrived from Seattle in a trade for reliever Zach Duke on July 30.

Zack Littell followed De Jong for the Twins and gave up Mondesi’s tying home run in the sixth but was otherwise sharp, allowing just two runners in 3 1/3 innings.

FORTNITE PARTY

An estimated 300 fans arrived more than three hours before the first pitch to watch Twins reliever Trevor May show off his skills against some elite competition. But May wasn’t on the mound. He was playing the video game Fortnite, with the action being streamed on the Target Field video board.

May, an avid video game player who is a brand ambassador for a professional e-sports organization, squared off against three pro gamers in a Fortnite streaming party. Garver served as the emcee, interviewing the players and answering fans’ questions during the one-hour event.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: 3B Miguel Sano missed his fourth straight game with a lower left leg contusion.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (8-12, 4.32 ERA) takes the mound on Monday night as the Royals open a three-game series at home against the White Sox. Lucas Giolito (10-10, 5.85) will start for Chicago.

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson (7-12, 3.74) will start for the Twins as they host the Yankees for the opener of a three-game series on Monday. New York will counter with LHP J.A. Happ (14-6, 3.90).

— Associated Press —