Robert, Lynn star as White Sox sweep Royals
CHICAGO – Luis Robert Jr. homered, Lance Lynn pitched six effective innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Sunday for a three-game series sweep.
Romy González went 3 for 3, including two-run triple that put the White Sox ahead for good as the Chicago won for the fifth time in six games. The White Sox also improved to 12-8 since an ugly 10-game slide.
Lynn (3-5) allowed two runs and four hits in his second straight win. The right-hander struck out six and walked two.
Lynn tossed the sixth straight quality start for the South Siders, whose rotation seems to be coalescing.
“The starters as a whole are doing what we’re capable of,” Lynn said. “If we do what we’re supposed to, it puts the bullpen in a good spot and you’ve seen them really take off too.”
Lynn kept dealing after giving up Michael Massey’s deep two-run homer in the second that put the Royals ahead 2-0. Massey has three homers this year – all against Chicago.
“He just settled in and does what he does,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “He just keeps us in games and knows who to navigate through that lineup three times.”
Kansas City finished with just four hits as three Chicago relievers closed it out, with Joe Kelly pitching a perfect ninth for his first save. The last-place Royals have dropped seven of nine.
Sunday’s other games
Brewers 6, Rays 4: Willy Adames, Rowdy Tellez and William Contreras homered, and the visiting Brewers avoided a threegame sweep. Tampa Bay (34-14) dropped to 21-4 at Tropicana Field, the second-best 25-game home record since 1901 behind the 1978 Boston Red Sox at 22-3. Adames, on the second anniversary of his trade from the Rays to the Brewers, hit a solo homer off opener Jalen Beeks in the second,.
Phillies 2, Cubs 1: Bryson Stott hit his first career pinch-hit home run, a two-run drive in the seventh inning that led host Philadelphia to a series win. Taijuan Walker pitched 51⁄3 scoreless innings on three days’ rest and Craig Kimbrel got his 399th save, moving within one of becoming the eighth pitcher with 400.
Mets 5, Guardians 4 (Game 1): Starling Marte ended a long power drought at the perfect time, hitting a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning that sent host New York past Cleveland in the opener of a split doubleheader. Max Scherzer pitched six shutout innings and Brandon Nimmo also homered for the Mets.
Mets 2, Guardians 1 (Game 2): Justin Verlander outpitched Shane Bieber in a marquee matchup of Cy Young Award winners that lived up to its billing, and New York edged visiting Cleveland for a doubleheader sweep. Francisco Lindor homered against his former team and Jeff McNeil knocked in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly off Bieber in the eighth inning. Brooks Raley closed out New York’s fifth consecutive comeback victory — all by one run — since a 6-16 slide.
Braves 3, Mariners 2: Jared Shuster allowed one hit in six innings to earn his first career win and host Atlanta took its first series victory over Seattle in 12 years. Shuster (1-2) had seven strikeouts with only one walk in his fourth major league start. Jarred Kelenic led off the second with his ninth homer for the Mariners’ only hit off Shuster. Kelenic struck out in his next three at-bats.
Yankees 4, Reds 1: Harrison Bader and Gleyber Torres homered to spark a comeback, leading visiting New York to a three-game sweep and its first four-game winning streak this season. Cincinnati has lost six of seven, dropping into last place in the NL Central.
Astros 2, Athletics 0: Framber Valdez pitched a four-hitter to lead host Houston to a three-game sweep. Valdez (4-4) struck out seven without a walk, twirling a gem to bounce back after allowing seven hits and four runs in a season-low four innings in his last start. It’s the third time Oakland has been shut out in the last 10 games and seventh time overall this season.
Diamondbacks 8, Pirates 3: Christian Walker had three RBIs, hitting a two-run double in a three-run seventh inning that powered visiting Arizona to a series win. Arizona has won seven of nine games, while the Pirates fell to 4-13 in May after opening the season 20-9.
Cardinals 10, Dodgers 5: Oscar Mercado drove in five runs and Paul DeJong hit a three-run homer as host St. Louis won its 11 in 14 games after a 10-24 start to the season. Mercado, who made his St. Louis debut Wednesday, went 3-for-4 and tied a career high with the five RBIs.
Orioles 8, Blue Jays 3 (11): Cedric Mullins got five hits, Austin Hays drove in the decisive run in the 11th inning and visiting Baltimore completed a three-game sweep. Mullins had three RBIs and Hays reached base four times for the Orioles, who scored five runs in the 11th to win for the fifth time in six games.
Rangers 13, Rockies 3: Corey Seager hit a two-run homer in a five-run second inning and an RBI double in a six-run fifth as host Texas swept Colorado in three games. Seager had a tworun homer for the second straight day, scoring three times and also singling. He returned Wednesday after missing 31 games with a strained hamstring. Josh Jung put Texas ahead in the second against Connor Seabold (1-1) with his ninth homer, a solo drive that tied the Dodgers’ James Outman for the rookie lead.
Angels 4, Twins 2: Shohei Ohtani struck out nine in six innings, Mickey Moniak delivered his second big hit of the series and host Los Angeles handed Minnesota its fourth loss in six games in California. Ohtani did not get a decision despite allowing only one run and two hits. He leads the majors with a .142 opponent batting average and is third in strikeouts with 80.
Padres 7, Red Sox 0: Rougned Odor hit a desperately needed bases-clearing double off struggling Corey Kluber in the first inning, Matt Carpenter homered and host San Diego won for just the third time in 14 games.
Giants 7, Marlins 5: Patrick Bailey hit his first major league homer and drove in a run with a squeeze bunt, helping host San Francisco win its fifth of six games. Two days after making his major league debut, 23-year-old catcher homered in the second off Jesús Luzardo and bunted in a run in a two-run sixth.