KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Adalberto Mondesi had three hits and two RBIs, and the Royals beat the White Sox 6-4 on Friday night to end their six-game losing streak and extend the Sox’s to three straight losses.
Mondesi’s third hit, an RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning, scored Whit Merrifield to break a 4-4 tie. Mondesi had hits in three straight at-bats to end an 0-for-11 skid. He scored on Jorge Soler’s RBI double to make it 6-4.
Jace Fry (1-2) took the loss for the Sox. Ivan Nova allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings with six hits and a season-high six strikeouts.
After Homer Bailey pitched six-plus innings of three-run ball, Brad Boxberger (1-3) allowed a run in the seventh but still got his first victory in 26 appearances. Ian Kennedy pitched the ninth for his fourth save in six chances.
James McCann put the Sox ahead 2-0 with a two-run double in the third, but the Royals got one back in the bottom of the inning on Merrifield's RBI single.
Merrifield sparked a three-run sixth with a leadoff infield single. Alex Gordon singled against the shift, and Mondesi tied it with a double to right. Nova then walked O’Hearn, and Nova was done.
Cheslor Cuthbert ripped a single into right, scoring Gordon and Mondesi to give the Royals a 4-2 lead. He has hit safely in all seven games since being called up May 31.
Tim Anderson chased Bailey with a leadoff double in the seventh and later scored on a fielder's choice, and Yoan Moncada added an RBI double with Leury Garcia scoring from first base to tie the score 4-4.
The Sox will send Lucas Giolito (8-1, 2.54 ERA) to the mound in the second game of the series against Brad Keller (3-7, 4.50). Giolito was the AL Pitcher of the Month for May. He is 7-0 with a 1.92 ERA over his last nine starts.
Sox outfielder John Jay was transferred to Triple-A Charlotte for his rehab assignment. He has been on the IL with a right hip strain since spring training. He played three games with Double-A Birmingham and went 2 for 10.