White Sox 7, Royals 6: A stunning reversal

Calling up Michael Kopech changed everything.

Or maybe it’s just a coincidence that, shortly after the Sox announced that their top pitching prospect would be starting Tuesday, the Sox erased a 6-0 deficit in one inning, then tacked on one more run to lock in a series and season series victory against the Kansas City Royals.

However it happened, it was glorious.

After Reynaldo Lopez gave up a trio of homers during a six-run second that gave Kansas City a 6-0 lead, the Sox answered with their own such combo in the fourth. The sequence:

  • Jose Abreu single
  • Daniel Palka single
  • Avisail Garcia three-run homer
  • Nicky Delmonico single
  • Tim Anderson two-run homer
  • Omar Narvaez solo homer

And that was all off starter Heath Fillmyer. An inning later, Garcia and his balky knee scored from second on a Narvaez single through the left side, and the White Sox bullpen made it hold up.

Hector Santiago picked up the greatly deserved victory for delivering four scoreless innings in relief of Lopez, whom Renteria pulled after a leadoff single in the third. Renteria then used five pitchers over the last three innings, but all his matchups worked out, and the game ended with Jace Fry striking out both batters he faced for his second career save.

Up until the fourth, this game had the makings of another unsatisfactory afternoon. Lopez retired the side in order on 11 pitches in the first, then needed 46 pitches to get through the second.

The Royals did damage on Lopez’s fastball, hitting all three homers on heaters. The second was a backbreaker — a three-run homer by Whit Merrifield on a 3-2 count. While Ryan O’Hearn and Alex Gordon turned on inner-half fastballs, this one was in and off the plate at 97 mph, and Merrifield still turned on it and put it in the White Sox bullpen. Lopez suffered partially from poor execution, but also the Royals looked ready for him.

Thanks to the comeback, though, Lopez’s start was an afterthought.

Bullet points:

*The Sox went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position after an 0-for-9 performance on Saturday, but both hits were homers.

*After Yoan Moncada clanged a chopper in the eighth inning to allow Brett Phillips to reach with one out, Tim Anderson doubled off Phillips by snaring a liner and making a strong throw across his body.

Record: 46-77 | Box score

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