Beaned by K.C. once again, Anderson gets best revenge
Although he didn’t think the Royals were throwing at him intentionally, Tim Anderson still took pleasure in scoring a bit of revenge.
Six innings after being beaned with a pitch from Kansas City starter Glenn Sparkman, Anderson doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth, lifting the host Chicago White Sox to an 8-7 victory over the Royals on Wednesday night.
José Abreu hit a threerun homer and Yoán Moncada also connected for the White Sox.
Sparkman struck Anderson in the bill of his helmet in the second with nobody out, a runner on first and the White Sox leading 2-1. Anderson’s helmet was knocked off his head, and plate umpire Mark Carlson ejected the 27year-old right-hander.
It was the first plate appearance of the series for Anderson, who hadn’t started the previous four games because of right wrist soreness.
Last month, Anderson was hit by Kansas City’s Brad Keller in the backside after an elaborate bat flip on a home run in his previous at-bat. That sparked a benches-clearing scuffle. Keller was suspended five games and Anderson one.
“I think it was just bad timing,” Anderson said of Sparkman’s pitch. “But it happened and I was able to get the hit to win the game. It was payback. It felt good, man.”
Sparkman was making his second start of the season.
“Coming into this series, we had no animosity toward that young man,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Anderson. “And to think that we’re gonna hit him on purpose is ludicrous, one, and two, it was a changeup.
“It was forgotten. He had done his part, we had done our part. It was over.”