Bonifacio connects as Duffy, Royals blank Sox
ROYALS 5, WHITE SOX 0
CHICAGO — Jorge Bonifacio served his suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, and he just wants to move on.
One swing at a time. Bonifacio hit a two-run drive for his first home run since rejoining Kansas City late last month, helping the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 5-0 on Saturday for just their second win in July.
“I’ve been feeling pretty good lately,” he said. “I just want to keep working on that and keep swinging good.”
Bonifacio connected after Whit Merrifield led off the game with a single, sending a drive into the home bullpen in left. He also drove in Paulo Orlando with a triple in the fifth, providing more than enough support for Danny Duffy in the left-hander’s second consecutive scoreless outing.
Bonifacio, 25, broke into the majors last year, hitting 17 home runs in 113 games for Kansas City. But he missed the first part of this season after a positive test for boldenone, a steroid originally developed for veterinary use that is sometimes used by athletes and bodybuilders for bulking up. Bonifacio’s positive test resulted in an 80-game suspension.
“He knows he made a mistake, he knows he paid for it and now he’s going,” Manager Ned Yost said.
Duffy (5-8) struck out 8 while pitching 7 innings of 4-hit ball. He tossed six scoreless innings at Minnesota on Monday night, but left with a no-decision after the Twins rallied for a 3-1 victory.
Such is life with the last-place Royals (27-67), who have just five victories in their last 29 games.
RED SOX 6, BLUE JAYS 2 (10) Xander Bogaerts hit a game-ending grand slam with one out in the 10th inning, and J.D. Martinez hit his major league-leading 29th home run to carry host Boston to a victory over Toronto.
RAYS 19, TWINS 6 Jake Bauers homered for the second consecutive game and drove in four runs, Carlos Gomez homered and had two RBI, and visiting Tampa Bay scored 15 times in the final three innings to rally past Minnesota.
ASTROS 9, TIGERS 1 Gerrit Cole struck out eight in 52/3 strong innings, and host Houston hit three home runs in a victory over Detroit.
YANKEES 5, INDIANS 4 Austin Romine came all the way around to score when host Cleveland committed two errors on his routine double in the seventh inning, and New York edged the Indians.
ORIOLES 1, RANGERS 0 Rookie Yefry Ramirez and four relievers combined on a four-hitter, Jonathan Schoop drove in a run with a sixth-inning sacrifice fly and Baltimore beat visiting Texas.
PIRATES 2-6, BREWERS 1-2 Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning of the first game of a doubleheader as Pittsburgh beat visiting Milwaukee. The pair also hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning of the second game as the Pirates beat the Brewers again.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
DIAMONDBACKS 3, BRAVES 0 Zack Greinke added another road victory to his strong first half by allowing only four hits in 72/3 innings and Arizona shut out host Atlanta.
MARLINS 2, PHILLIES 0 All-Star Aaron Nola gave up two runs in the first inning and punchless Philadelphia never recovered, losing to host Miami.
METS 7, NATIONALS 4 Zack Wheeler won for the first time since April 29, Michael Conforto homered and New York defeated visiting Washington.
REDS 8, CARDINALS 2 Jose Peraza had a career-best five hits, Scooter Gennett drove in two runs and Cincinnati waited out a pair of rain delays before beating host St. Louis.
INTERLEAGUE
ANGELS 5, DODGERS 4 (10) Kole Calhoun homered on his first pitch from All-Star closer Kenley Jansen in the 10th inning, lifting the Angels to a victory over the Dodgers in the Freeway Series.
ROCKIES 4, MARINERS 1 Jon Gray pitched effectively into the eighth inning, Carlos Gonzalez homered and host Colorado beat Seattle.