CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox would have liked to complete a few more trades prior to the deadline to give themselves the jolt they need to make a jump in the AL Central.
It didn't work out that way. They'll have to pick themselves up and deliver more performances like Tuesday.
Eloy Jiménez set season highs with three hits and four RBI, José Abreu homered and Chicago pounded the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Tuesday night.
The White Sox made no major moves before the trade deadline and will bank on improvement from within as they try to overtake Minnesota and Cleveland to win their second straight AL Central championship. This one wasn’t exactly pristine, but they'll take the lopsided win.
The White Sox have been getting a big boost lately from Jiménez following a slow start and a right knee injury that caused him to miss six weeks. He has been on a tear since the All-Star break, going 14 for 33 with three homers in 10 games. That's sent his batting average soaring from .197 to .273.
Jiménez singled and scored in a three-run first inning and smacked a two-run double in the fourth to bump Chicago’s lead to 5-2. He added a long sacrifice fly in the sixth before Abreu chased Royals starter Brad Keller (5-12) with a two-run homer off the left-field foul pole, making it 8-2.
Gavin Sheets hit a solo homer in the seventh. Andrew Vaughn added three hits and scored twice, helping Chicago move back above .500 at 52-51. The White Sox are 24-29 at home.
Giolito (7-6) went five innings, allowing two runs and five hits in his first win at home since beating Boston on May 25. The right-hander struck out seven and walked three after posting a 6.75 ERA in his previous nine outings.
Keller got tagged for eight runs and 13 hits — both career highs — in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander lost his third straight start.