CHICAGO (AP) — The White Sox didn’t completely break out of their offensive funk. But they scored just enough runs to win for the third time in 11 games.

Todd Frazier tied for the AL lead with his 13th home run, Melky Cabrera drove in two runs and the Chicago beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 Sunday to avoid what would have been its first losing sweep this season.

“Hopefully, we can keep tacking on some more runs, because we still left a couple out there today that we could have easily gotten,” Frazier said. “We’re still focused and determined to get those in.”

Carlos Rodon (2-4) allowed two runs and pitched into the seventh inning for his first victory since April 13.

“We didn’t want to get swept during that series,” Rodon said. “I came out and pitched the best I could and gave the team a chance to win. We did that today. All around good baseball.”

David Robertson overcame dizziness to get three outs for his 11th save in 13 chances for the AL Central leaders.

Lorenzo Cain and Paulo Orlando had two hits apiece for the World Series champions, who had won six of their previous eight.

Yordano Ventura (4-3) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings for the Royals, who were trying for their first road series sweep. He is 3-0 in four home starts but 1/3 in five road games.

Rodon allowed eight hits and struck out four in his first time facing Kansas City.

“His confidence grows as he goes along, of just who he is and where he belongs and how he’s doing,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said.

Kansas City had four singles — including Orlando’s two-out RBI hit — to take the lead in the second. Orlando drove in three of the Royals’ eight runs in the series. He also doubled and is hitting .364 (20 for 55) in his career against Chicago.

Frazier’s homer, which matched Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo for the AL lead, brought Chicago even in the fourth.

Cabrera put the White Sox ahead with a two-run single in the fifth on an 0-2 pitch.

“We needed to win this game,” Cabrera said.

The White Sox were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 1 for 23 during the series.

“We’ve been scuffling with guys on base, especially with two outs,” Ventura said.

Omar Infante had a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

“You always want to win the series. That’s your No. 1 goal,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “You put yourself in a position to sweep them, but Rodon did a nice job of pitching today.”

A BREAK

Struggling White Sox 1B Jose Abreu had the day off. He is hitting .243 with six home runs and 39 strikeouts. Jerry Sands started at first base and DH Jimmy Rollins hit second.

“I’ve been swinging at a lot of pitches out of the zone and that’s not my approach,” Abreu said through an interpreter.

GOOD D

Both right fielders made impressive defensive plays. Orlando robbed Austin Jackson of an extra-base hit with a runner on third in the sixth by making a catch against the wall. Chicago’s Adam Eaton made a sliding catch in foul territory for the game’s first out.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LF Alex Gordon (bruised right wrist) is day to day after he collided with 3B Mike Moustakas while they pursued a foul popup in the seventh. Both remained in the game, and Whit Merrifield pinch hit for Gordon the next inning.

White Sox: Ventura and a trainer checked on Robertson during the final batter in the ninth. Robertson said he felt dizziness but was doing fine after the game. . C Kevan Smith was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Charlotte before Sunday’s game. He was on the DL since April 26 (retroactive to April 24) with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. He has yet to play in the majors.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-3, 3.24 ERA) is to start Monday’s series opener against Minnesota and RHP Ricky Nolasco (1-2, 4.74).

White Sox: RHP Mat Latos (5-1, 4.00) is to start a doubleheader opener Monday against Cleveland and RHP Mike Clevinger (0-0, 6.75). RHP Erik Johnson (0-1, 7.20) is to start the second game for Chicago against RHP Cody Anderson (0-3, 7.99).

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — The Kansas City Royals hit the field with their starter on a 60-pitch limit and two key relievers unavailable because of overwork.

All they did was win a pitcher’s duel.

Lorenzo Cain hit a solo home run and five pitchers combined to allow seven hits in a 2-1 victory over the slumping Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

Danny Duffy and Peter Moylan combined for six scoreless innings. Joakim Soria (2-1) worked out of a seventh-inning jam and Wade Davis pitched a hitless ninth for his 11th save in Kansas City’s second straight win over the AL Central leaders.

“We win on pitching and defense and this was another good example of it,” manager Ned Yost said.

Cain’s leadoff shot to center in the sixth off Miguel Gonzalez (0-1) made it 2-0 after Eric Hosmer’s first-inning sacrifice fly.

Gonzalez allowed six hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a hitter over six innings in his third start since being called up from Triple-A. But he got no help from an offense that’s frustrated. Chicago has lost eight of 10.

“It’s our first real kind of test in the division and the Royals are doing their job and we basically are not,” Chicago third baseman Todd Frazier said.

The Royals won for the sixth time in eight games despite needing bullpen help with Duffy on a pitch limit. He allowed four hits in 4 1/3 innings, throwing 63 pitches.

“I try to be available when my team calls upon me to do something. That’s what’s happened the past two outings,” Duffy said on being converted back to a starter.

“It doesn’t really feel weird. It’s not really as much of a task when you’ve got the defense that you do behind you and the bullpen behind you,” he said.

Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, activated off the disabled list after missing more than two weeks with a left thumb injury, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and misplayed a bunt to load the bases with nobody out in the seventh.

Soria replaced Brian Flynn and induced slumping Jose Abreu’s double play grounder to end Chicago’s 13-inning scoreless streak. Soria then got Frazier to ground to third before working a perfect eighth in his first two-inning stint since 2011.

Yost said “under no circumstances” would he use Luke Hochevar or Kelvin Herrera. Hochevar had appeared in five of seven games and Herrera four of six.

“They let me know that I might go one-plus, but I didn’t know two innings,” Soria said. “I felt good and I was hitting my spots.”

Not even more lineup tinkering by manager Robin Ventura could get the White Sox out of their offensive funk.

Jerry Sands played first base and hit cleanup, with Melky Cabrera moved to fifth and barely missed a home run with a fourth-inning double off the wall. Abreu hit second for the second straight day and was the DH and Tyler Saladino was again at shortstop in place of struggling Jimmy Rollins.

Rollins struck out pinch-hitting for Sands in the eighth for Chicago, which has scored four runs in three games.

Ventura said he sees players pressing, including Abreu before his double play.

“You could see it as far as getting in those situations trying to probably hit a seven-run homer,” manager Robin Ventura said. “You can’t get out of it that way. You’ve got to be able to relax and get through it. We’ll be there for him.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: To make room for Moustakas, Cheslor Cuthbert was optioned to Triple-A Omaha, where Yost said he’ll play second and third. “Did he deserve to go down? No,” Yost said. “There’s just not a spot for him.” … Yost said needing to stretch out Duffy while he was in the rotation is why they elected to keep 13 pitchers.

White Sox: RHP Jake Petricka (hip) is not ready to come off the disabled list. “He still feels a little something there,” Ventura said.

DYSON OVER ORLANDO

Despite his second three-hit game of the week Friday, Paulo Orlando was out of the Kansas City lineup. And for good reason. Jarrod Dyson started in right and went 3 for 4 with a stolen base while improving to 7 for 8 against Gonzalez.

UP NEXT

Royals RHP Yordano Ventura (4-2, 4.85 ERA) faces LHP Carlos Rondon (1-4, 4.73) in Sunday’s series finale.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — David Price did exactly what the Boston Red Sox expected when they signed him to a $217 million deal.

The big left-hander dominated the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, and with help from home runs by Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts, led the Red Sox to a 5-2 victory and a split of their day-night doubleheader.

“He was very good,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell, who was happy to escape Kansas City with a win after dropping the first two games of the series. “He was really commanding all of his pitches.”

The Royals won the opener 3-2 on Wednesday behind strong performances by their pitchers, but it was Price (6-1) who shined in the nightcap, allowing two runs over 7 1/3 innings in his second straight solid start.

He began his Red Sox tenure by allowing at least five runs in four of his first seven starts.

“Price was really good, good cutters, good fastballs, threw some really good change-ups,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. That’s a tough club. They were extremely hot coming in here.”

The Red Sox were clinging to a 2-1 lead when they loaded the bases off Edinson Volquez (4-4) with two outs in the sixth inning. Christian Vazquez dribbled a single up the middle to score two runs, giving the Red Sox plenty of cushion the way their left-hander was pitching.

Volquez left after the sixth. He allowed four runs, seven hits and four walks.

In the opener, Eric Hosmer followed a single by Alcides Escobar with a homer in the first inning, and Lorenzo Cain added a sacrifice fly following Jarrod Dyson’s triple to provide the Royals’ only offense.

Ian Kennedy allowed two runs, six hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine, before Brian Flynn — who earned his first career win — and Luke Hochevar combined to strike out four consecutive batters.

Kelvin Herrera allowed back-to-back base hits in the eighth, but Xander Bogaerts was thrown out by Dyson from right field trying to reach third base. Travis Shaw flied out to end the inning.

Wade Davis worked around a single in ninth for his ninth save.

“We kept coming at guys. We kept digging,” Farrell said between games. “We kept fighting, trying to create some opportunities, right through the last pitch.”

Steven Wright (3-4) surrendered five hits without a walk in a complete game for Boston.

The knuckleballer set down 10 straight at one point, but the two extra-base hits came back to haunt him. Still, it was a nice rebound after allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings against Houston in his last start.

“He had really good stuff,” Cain said.

Chris Young homered in the fifth for the Red Sox. David Ortiz drove in their other run.

“I think every pitcher’s goal is to go deep into the game. I think it was more crucial today, knowing we’ve got a doubleheader,” Wright said. “It (stinks) we got the loss. I felt like I threw the ball well.”

GOING STREAKING

Bradley extended his hitting streak to 24 games, the longest by a Red Sox player since Ortiz went 27 games in 2012-13. … Bogaerts has hit in 13 consecutive games. … The Red Sox have homered in 19 straight games, matching the longest streak in franchise history. That mark was set in July 1996.

ROSTER MOVE

Between games, the Royals called up INF/OF Whit Merrifield and optioned INF Christian Colon to Triple-A Omaha. Merrifield started Game 2 in left field and had his first hit in the fifth inning. They also added RHP Alec Mills as their 26th man, and he made his big-league debut, allowing a run in the eighth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: RHP Carson Smith (right flexor strain) may return to the DL, Farrell said. Smith is still feeling forearm pain since returning from the DL on May 3.

Royals: RHP Chris Young (right forearm strain) is throwing from 60 feet but has yet to pitch from a mound. … 3B Mike Moustakas (left thumb fracture) was the DH and went 2 for 4 with an RBI in his first rehab game Wednesday at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He could rejoin the Royals this weekend in Chicago.

UP NEXT

Boston heads home to begin a three-game set against Cleveland and the Royals visit the White Sox for three games. Both series begin Friday night.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Paulo Orlando hit a two-run homer, Eric Hosmer also went deep and the Kansas City Royals beat the hot-hitting Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Tuesday night in the opener of their three-game series.

Orlando also tripled and had a two-run single. Omar Infante and Alcides Escobar drove in runs as Kansas City continued to slowly break out of its season-long offensive funk.

Yordano Ventura (4-2), who has struggled with walks all season, issued one free pass in 5 2/3 innings for Kansas City. He allowed four runs and seven hits before exiting with a one-run lead.

Orlando’s homer highlighted a three-run eighth that gave the Royals some breathing room.

Rick Porcello (6-2) gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits and two walks for Boston. He lasted five-plus innings, his shortest start since going two innings against the White Sox last July.

Travis Shaw hit a three-run homer to provide most of the Red Sox offense.

Boston actually struck first when Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 22 games with an RBI double in the second, but Kansas City quickly answered in the third. Escobar drove in Orlando shortly before Hosmer belted a two-out pitch over the center-field wall for a 2-1 lead.

Things unraveled for Porcello in the fourth when he gave up three runs on four consecutive one-out singles, matching the second-most runs he’d allowed in a start all season. And while Porcello got through that inning and the fifth, he failed to retire a batter before getting yanked in the sixth.

It was the first time in 16 starts Porcello did not last six innings.

Boston tried to bail him out in the top of the sixth when Shaw swatted a three-run homer, giving the Red Sox a home run in 17 consecutive games. The franchise record is 19 set in July 1996.

The comeback was squelched by Kansas City’s resolute bullpen.

Luke Hochevar got the final out of the sixth and worked a perfect seventh, and Salvador Perez threw out Xander Bogaerts trying to steal second to wipe out the potential tying run in the eighth.

FARRELL GETS TOSSED

Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected in the seventh for arguing with plate umpire Bill Miller over the strike zone. It was the second time Farrell has been tossed this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder impingement) came out of his rehab start at Triple-A Pawtucket in good shape and could start for Boston on Saturday against Cleveland. … LHP Eduardo Rodriguez will be scratched from a planned rehab start Thursday for Pawtucket with more pain in his right knee. “This isn’t something we feel we’re back to ground zero,” Farrell said.

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas (broken left thumb) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday. He could rejoin the Royals against the White Sox this weekend in Chicago.

UP NEXT

Boston’s Steven Wright and the Royals’ Ian Kennedy will start the opener of Wednesday’s doubleheader, which will include the makeup of Monday night’s rainout. David Price will start the nightcap for the Red Sox against Kansas City right-hander Edinson Volquez.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The series opener between the Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox on Monday night was postponed because of rain and will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Wednesday.

The Royals’ Yordano Ventura will be pushed back to start Tuesday night against Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello. Steven Wright will start the day game and David Price the nightcap for Boston on Wednesday and the Royals will start Ian Kennedy and Edinson Volquez in the doubleheader.

They have not decided which pitcher will start which game.

The rainout came at a good time for the Royals, who used all nine of their pitchers in a 4-2, 13-inning win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. Several relievers would not have been available.

— Associated Press —

(From Royals) – Fans holding tickets to the game have these options:
1. Fans can utilize their tickets for the rescheduled game date. Note: the rescheduled game is the game starting at 7:15 PM and not the originally scheduled 1:15 game.
2. Fans can utilize the value of their ticket (the amount paid) as a voucher toward any future Royals regular season game in 2016. While fans are welcome to exchange for any 2016 regular season game/seating area, fans who apply the paid value of their ticket for higher-priced game/seating will be responsible for paying any resulting balance due. Refunds are not available to fans who elect to apply the paid value of their ticket to lesser priced game/seating area. All tickets are based on availability. The pricing for Value Monday will be carried over to the Wednesday night game.
3. All exchanges must be completed by first pitch of the makeup game, Wednesday, May 18 at 7:15 p.m.
4. Single game tickets can be exchanged in person at the Kauffman Stadium Box Office during regular box office hours.
5. Season ticket members who have a Full or Half Season must exchange their tickets using their My Royals account.
6. Partial plan holders can call their ticket services rep to exchange their tickets. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL (816) 504-4040, OPTION 3 OR EMAIL [email protected]. Tickets can only be exchanged by the original purchaser of the tickets.
7. Complimentary tickets and Commissioner’s Initiative tickets cannot be exchanged for any other game and can only be used for the rescheduled game.
8. Important Note: Due to the discounts offered for the purchase of some tickets, the amount paid for the ticket (and thus the “value” of your ticket) may be different than the price printed on the ticket.
9. Suites, groups and other special areas are valid for the rescheduled game or the customer will need to contact their sales representative to exchange their tickets to a mutually agreed upon game.
10. Customers who purchased on StubHub or any other secondary market must contact the place they purchased the tickets for any inquiries about redeeming rain out tickets.
11. Parking passes may be used for the rescheduled game or may be turned in at any toll gate for any of the future 2016 Royals Regular Season Games.
12. Tickets for the postponed game are not subject to refunds.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kendrys Morales has been struggling, especially against right-handers, but he came through huge Sunday.

Morales hit a game-ending, two-run homer with two out in the 13th inning and the Kansas City Royals overcame a rare blown save by Wade Davis to beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2.

Alcides Escobar, who had four hits to match his career high, singled before Morales’ blast off right-hander Jason Grilli, who was brought in to induce the switch-hitting Morales to bat lefty. Morales was batting .143 with 21 strikeouts in 105 at-bats against righties, but came through with his fifth home run on a full-count pitch.

“I’m real happy with the outcome,” Morales said with catching coach Pedro Grifol acting as his interpreter. “We only needed one run, but thankfully we got two.”

Morales hit one to the right-center wall in the sixth that Jeff Francoeur caught.

“I thought the first one was gone and it didn’t go,” Morales said. “I thought I hit this one pretty good and I’m glad it got out.”

The Royals took two of three from the last-place Braves after losing their five previous series. The Braves lost for the 18th time in 23 games and have won only one series this season.

“We’ve played well, other than this inning where they walked us off,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “We pitched well, we hit, we battled. We did a lot of good stuff and it’s just a shame you walk out of here feeling pretty darn good, but your record, you lost two out of three.”

The Royals used nine pitchers, tying a club record for one game, with Chien-Ming Wang (2-0) picking up the victory. Left-hander Eric O’Flaherty (0-3), the sixth of seven Braves pitchers, took the loss.

The Braves rallied to tie it with two runs in the ninth off Davis, who blew his first save since July 12 against Toronto, and was 8 for 8 in save situations this year.

Mallex Smith and Erick Aybar had run-producing singles off Davis. Ender Inciarte led off the inning with a single and then Davis walked Chase d’Arnaud.

Royals rookie left-hander Scott Alexander allowed one single and struck out four in three scoreless innings after Davis’ inning.

“It was kind of a tough inning, but thankfully the offense and Scotty picked us up,” Davis said. “Everybody stepped up, but obviously I didn’t do my job.”

Eric Hosmer, who is hitting .388 against right-handers, singled home Escobar in the Royals’ first. Escobar led off the inning with a double.

Jarrod Dyson opened the eighth with a double and scored on Escobar’s single to finish the afternoon for Braves starter Matt Wisler after 116 pitches. Wisler allowed two runs on eight hits, walked none and struck out seven.

“We could have cashed in in the ninth today, but they came back and battled,” Wisler said. “Took me off the hook for it. We’re not going to quit and hopefully we can start turning these into Ws.”

Hosmer, who had doubled, was thrown out at the plate to end the Royals’ sixth when he attempted to score on Salvador Perez’s single to left.

Left-hander Danny Duffy, who replaced the injured Kris Medlen in the rotation and was making his first start, threw three innings, allowing one hit, struck out five and walked two before reaching his pitch limit. Duffy, who made 24 starts last season, began the season with 16 relief appearances.

DIFFERENT LINEUP

Royals LF Alex Gordon hit second for the first time. He batted fifth 11 times and sixth 25 times in the first 36 games. Dyson made his second start in center as Lorenzo Cain, who had a nine-game hitting streak, got the day off.

DOWN UNDER FLAVOR

Peter Moylan, who faced four batters, became the fourth Australian-born player to appear for the Royals. The others were Justin Huber (2005-07), Graeme Lloyd (2003) and Liam Hendriks (2014).

GOOD STARTS

The Braves’ rotation has a 2.85 ERA in the past 14 games, allowing 28 earned runs in 88 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas (fractured left thumb) took flip swings in the indoor cage, his first step beyond dry swings since going on the disabled list May 5.

UP NEXT

Royals: Conclude this six-game homestand with three games against the Red Sox. RHP Yordano Ventura (3-2, 4.62) and Red Sox RHP Rick Porcello (6-3, 3.11) are the Monday probables.

Braves: RHP Williams Perez (1-0, 3.54) will start Monday as the Braves open a four-game series at Pittsburgh. LHP Jonathon Niese (3-2, 5.63) will be the Pirates’ starter.

— Associated Press —