The White Sox have now lost 12 straight games at Kauffman Stadium, and the sixth inning summed up their general fortunes in Kansas City.
In the top of the inning, they loaded the bases with one out after Curtis Mead and Colson Montgomery singled around a Luis Robert Jr. flyout, and then Edgar Quero walked to chase Noah Cameron from the game. John Schreiber inherited the sacks packed, only to escape when Montgomery got doubled off second on a Lenyn Sosa lineout to short. Montgomery might've been out even if he froze upon contact, but leaning the wrong way made it an easier two for Bobby Witt Jr.
In the bottom of the inning, Aaron Civale retired the first two batters without incident, then got ahead 1-2 on Salvador Perez by bouncing a curve in the dirt. Civale then went back to that well, but this time the curveball hung on him, and Perez roped it off the bottom of the left field wall for a double. Adam Frazier then came to the plate, and hit the second of two plate-splitting cutters into the right-field corner that extended the Royals' lead to 3-1.
That run proved unnecessary, as the White Sox were limited to a Sosa solo shot in the fourth inning, but it served to make the seemingly unattainable -- a victory at Kauffman -- even further out of reach.
The White Sox offense was the biggest culprit, as Cameron and four Royals relievers limited them to seven hits and two walks over nine innings. Worse yet, that only amounted to three at-bats with runners in scoring position, because the White Sox lost three baserunners over the course of the game.
Besides the line-drive double play, Miguel Vargas also ran into an out, unsuccessful in his attempt to catch Mike Yastrzemski sleeping after a hot shot ramped off the mitt of Vinnie Pasquantino and into shallow right field with one out in the third. The White Sox challenged the play, but the call was upheld. More mundane was Robert's 6-4-3 double play after a one-out single by Andrew Benintendi in the eighth.
The lack of support wasted a quality start from Civale, although Civale threw the most frustrating kind of quality start. He opened the game by giving up four line drives, which included three straight one-out singles for the first Kansas City run. He settled in afterward, but when Sosa tied the game by turning on an inside Cameron cutter for his 15th homer of the year, Civale promptly yielded a run himself, powering an elevated sinker off the plate into the seats in the right field corner.
At least Civale spared the bullpen, as only Brandon Eisert and Steven Wilson were needed for an inning apiece. Both retired the side in order.
Bullet points:
*The White Sox had a nice game defensively. Quero cut down Kyle Isbel on a stolen base attempt in the fifth that led to Matt Quatraro's ejection, as Montgomery dropped his knee down in front of the bag, and Robert showcased his makeup speed with a sliding catch in the seventh.
*Chase Meidroth went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in his return to the lineup.
*The White Sox still haven't won a game at Kauffman since Sept. 6, 2023.
