After winning five straight to get five games over .500 on August 16, the White Sox lost 10 of 12 games, falling six games behind the AL Central-leading Guardians.
For days it has felt like the Sox (64-66) were out of the running. But if you want to suggest otherwise, it would help to snap a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Royals and start a much-needed hot streak.
“The amount of talent in this clubhouse is unbelievable,” said shortstop Elvis Andrus, who hit one of the Sox’s two home runs. “Probably one of the most talented teams I’ve been on in my career, and it just takes a good winning streak to get back in the race. Everyone knows we still have 30 more games to go, so there’s no reason to panic. But it’s a good time to stick together and go out and do our thing.”
Lance Lynn (4-5, 4.70 ERA) did his thing, retiring the first 10 Royals he faced and pitching seven innings on one-run ball. Coupled with a Guardians loss, the Red Sox cut their gap behind Cleveland to five heading into September.
Bobby Witt Jr.’s home run in the fourth snapped Lynn’s streak of 10 Reals down to start the game. Two singles and a hit batsman loaded the bases for Hunter Dozier, who hit a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
The White Sox hit multiple home runs for the second night in a row after going 13 straight games without multiple home runs. AJ Pollock homered off left-hander Kris Bubic leading off the fourth. Andrus, batting first in interim manager Miguel Cairo’s lineup, hit his first home run in a Sox uniform in the fifth. The Sox connected on two runs off left-hander Amir Garrett in the seventh, one of them on a two-out single by Jose Abreu.
Kendall Graveman pitched a perfect eighth and Liam Hendriks allowed a run in the ninth.
“Until that last moment, you can’t feel comfortable,” said Cairo, who posted a 9-7 loss to the Royals (53-78) on Tuesday. “Today that is the feeling. Take a deep breath and let it go and do it again tomorrow.”
Cairo goes with his instinct
Cairo said he gets by on his “intuition” rather than metrics.
“I watch the game, I watch the scoreboard, that tells you everything,” he said.
Managing the pitching is “the hardest part,” the 48-year-old Cairo said, but he will rely heavily on pitching coach Ethan Katz and bullpen coach Curt Hasler. He also has former manager Jerry Narron close.
“So it will be a team effort and we have to do it for Tony,” Cairo said.
list movements
Lynn was removed from the dueling list before the game, and wide receiver Yasmani Grandal returned his injury rehab assignment (left knee) at Triple-A Charlotte. Grandal walked twice. Left-hander Tanner Banks and catcher Carlos Perez were optioned to Charlotte.
This and that
Center fielder Luis Robert missed a fifth straight start with a sore left wrist, but was a defensive replacement in the ninth inning.
*Second baseman Romy Gonzalez singled twice and made a jump catch on a line drive off Nicky Lopez in the eighth.
*The September 14 home game against the Rockies has been changed from a 7:10 pm start to a 1:10 pm start. The Sox play an afternoon make-up game in Cleveland the following day.
*Minor league right-hander Taylor Broadway was sent to the Red Sox to complete the Jake Diekman trade.
*The Sox’s first Cactus League spring training game is February 25 against the Padres at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. Spring training concludes with two games against the Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, on March 27-28. The Sox play the Cubs four times.
