KC bats' outburst gives Junis 1st W since May

CHICAGO -- It took over two months, but Royals right-hander Jakob Junis finally got back into the win column.
Junis breezed through five innings on Wednesday night before stumbling in the sixth, but he still got the victory, his first since May 18, in the Royals' 10-5 triumph over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Kansas City has taken the first two games of their series against the South Siders.
"It's been a long time since I got a win and was able to contribute to a win," Junis said. "[Salvador Perez] did a great job behind the plate, throwing out two guys, and the offense came through with 10 runs. You can't ask for much more.
"It's been a tough season, a tough last two months. But I did pitch five good innings and my teammates picked me up."
Junis, who hadn't walked anyone and took a 10-1 lead into the sixth, suddenly walked three and gave up two hits as the White Sox chased him with three runs in the inning. Junis was finished after 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs while striking out five.
"I lost my feel," Junis said. "I wasn't attacking and balls got away from me. It was a little bit of a timing thing. My direction was off both sides of the plate."
The Royals, meanwhile took advantage of some shoddy White Sox defense. A throwing error by Chicago starter Dylan Covey, after he walked two batters, loaded the bases in the third. Then with two outs, Alex Gordon doubled in two runs -- both runs were unearned. Gordon also hit a two-run home run in the sixth for his first four-RBI game since Aug. 18, 2016.
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Then with two on in the fifth, White Sox second baseman Yoán Moncada dropped the beginning of a certain double-play grounder off the bat of Salvador Perez. Later, Lucas Duda, Rosell Herrera and Brett Phillips delivered RBI hits, as the Royals scored five times to take an 8-1 lead. Two more runs were unearned.

"Gordy had good at-bats," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "I thought the two kids, Phillips and [Ryan] O'Hearn, I thought they had really good at-bats. I just like the way we're swinging the bats right now."

Junis' first pitch of the game, a four-seam fastball, landed over the right-field fence for Moncada's 14th home run. Moncada also led off the game with a home run against Junis in Kansas City on April 26.
PHILLIPS STARTING STRONG
Phillips continues to make an impression with his defense, his bat and his speed. The outfielder, who was acquired from the Brewers in the trade for Mike Moustakas, scored from second base in the fourth inning on a line-drive one-hopper by O'Hearn to left fielder Nicky Delmonico.
"There are two outs there, so right off the bat, I'm going," Phillips said. "I don't have to worry about where the ball is. It's just a full out sprint, so I'm glad he waved me in."
One night after his first Royals home run, Phillips went 2-for-5 with an RBI single.

SOUND SMART
Perez threw out two more baserunners trying to steal second base. Perez now has 150 for his career, moving into second place in franchise history behind Mike Macfarlane, who had 162.

UP NEXT
Right-hander Brad Keller (4-4, 3.34 ERA) will take the mound for the Royals in the final game of the series against the White Sox on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. at Guaranteed Rate Field. Right-hander Reynaldo López (4-9, 4.57) will pitch for the White Sox. Keller will be making his 11th start this season. He earned a win last Saturday, allowing four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings against the Yankees.