In August, Abreu cranks up the heat once again

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — José Abreu picked up an RBI in an unusual way in his first game of August, getting plunked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning against the Indians.

He had a more traditional RBI in his final game of the month, homering against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In between, Abreu did what he normally does in August: produce big numbers.

Abreu earned American League Player of the Month for August for the second consecutive year. A slight adjustment helped pave the way this time.

“I was swinging at too many pitches out of the strike zone (before),” Abreu said through an interpreter Wednesday. “Now I’ve been more selective and swinging at pitches that are strikes. That’s why I’ve been having the success I have.”

In 28 games last month, he

Luis Robert hit a solo home run and Yasmani Grandal added a two-run shot in the first inning for the White Sox in a 10-7 victory against the Royals on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Robert went 4-for-5 and scored three runs while Grandal was 3-for-3 with four RBIs. Salvador Perez homered twice for the Royals. He hit a two-run homer against Sox starter Reynaldo López in the third and a three-run homer off reliever Michael Kopech in the fifth, his 40th of the season. Craig Kimbrel struck out Perez with a runner on first for the final out of the seventh to preserve a two-run lead. Andrew Vaughn gave the Sox insurance with an RBI single in the eighth. More coverage at chicagotribune.com/sports