KANSAS CITY -- There were numerous hugs, boisterous applause and chants of extreme joy early on in Monday night’s series opener for the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

Unfortunately all of that excitement came from a small group of White Sox fans about eight rows up from the team’s dugout shortly after it was announced the Blackhawks received the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft. Connor Bedard, make your plans for Chicago.

That moment was one of the night’s high points during a 12-5 loss to the Royals, dropping the White Sox to 12-24 on the season. It also was the official return of Pedro Grifol, who worked for 10 years as part of Kansas City’s organization before getting this White Sox managerial opportunity.

The White Sox held a 3-1 lead after three and erased a 4-3 deficit in the top of the sixth on Gavin Sheets’ long home run to right-center. But Kansas City scored eight in the bottom half off starter Dylan Cease, Aaron Bummer and Jimmy Lambert.

“It was definitely one that got away from us,” said White Sox designated hitter Andrew Vaughn.

“This was a tough one. We accomplished some things that we wanted to get accomplished, which was to get ahead in the count,” Grifol said. “But when we got them on two strikes, we just couldn't put them away. They got about seven hits with two strikes; three extra-base hits including a homer and a couple doubles. That was the game, right there.”

After scoring a season-high 17 runs in victory over the Reds Sunday, the White Sox allowed at least 12 runs for the sixth time this year. It matches Oakland for most in the Majors.

Cease (2-2) yielded a season-high seven earned runs and has an 0-2 record with an 8.25 ERA over his last five starts. The right-hander struck out six, walked one and allowed MJ Melendez’s game-tying home run in the fourth, but felt as if his stuff played better than his last two trips to the mound.

According to Statcast, Cease topped out at 97.6 mph and averaged 96.4 mph on his four-seamer, which was up 0.9 compared to his season’s average.

“I was throwing in the zone much better. Just working through some things right now, but I think it’s close,” Cease said. “I need to kind of hunker down with my slider. I’ve been backing them up and not getting the consistency that I need. And it really comes down to executing. I feel like I’m on a good track right now, we’ve made some good improvements the last 10 days or so. We’ve had a lot of focused work. Just got to keep feeling the process. The results are disappointing.”

Outfielder Andrew Benintendi was ejected by home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez in the seventh for arguing balls and strikes after Elvis Andrus was called out on strikes to start the frame. There was a bit of uncertainty whether it was Andrus or Grifol who was ejected, but it was that kind of night for the White Sox.

Actually, it’s been that kind of season for the White Sox and even with the Royals (10-26) struggling mightily, it might not get better at Kauffman. The White Sox are 18-21 against the Royals since the start of the 2021 season, including a 9-12 ledger in Kansas City, after going 9-1 vs. them in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season.

Grifol probably has fond memories of that past success against the White Sox, but didn’t enjoy Monday’s contest nearly as much. He spoke pregame of how much his time with the Royals meant to him, being part of the 2014 and 2015 World Series teams as a catching coach, with the team winning in ‘15, and serving as the bench coach for the past three seasons.

“Just the relationships that you build,” Grifol said. “I got to that organization as a rookie ball coach. Two months later, I’m in the big leagues with George Brett. In over 10 years, people just come and go and you start building relationships and it becomes a home. That’s what Kansas City is to me. It’s a home full of beautiful relationships that will never go away. Always going to be here. It’s a special place for me.”