Apr 23, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Kansas City Royals center fielder Jarrod Dyson (1) scores on a first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) game winning rbi double in the 13th inning against the Chicago White Sox at U.S Cellular Field. The Royals beat the White Sox 3-2. Photo Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
CHICAGO — Eric Hosmer delivered a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning, lifting the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Hosmer’s game-winning hit scored Jarrod Dyson from first base and improved the Royals’ American League-best record to 12-4.
Kansas City reliever Wade Davis shut down the White Sox (6-9) in the bottom of the 13th inning to earn his fourth save of the season.
The game was marred by a bench-clearing brawl in the bottom of the seventh inning in which five players — including Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura and White Sox starter Chris Sale — were ejected.
The chaos began when White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton grounded out to end the inning. As Eaton passed Ventura on his way to first base, Ventura yelled at Eaton, including an expletive.
Video replays showed that Eaton may have said something to Ventura as he left the batter’s box.
Both benches and bullpens cleared, and a fight ensued around first base. Among the most active participants was White Sox ace Jeff Samardzija, who was ejected along with both starting pitchers and Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain and right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez.
The White Sox threatened in the bottom of the 10th inning, leaving two runners in scoring position. However, after Eaton got to third base on a wild pitch after initially reaching on an error, Kansas City reliever Ryan Madson got right fielder Avisail Garcia to ground out to end the threat.
The White Sox stranded 10 runners in the loss.
Franklin Morales (2-0) threw one scoreless inning to earn the win. Jake Petricka (0-1) gave up one run in two innings and absorbed the loss.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas and first baseman Hosmer each had three hits for the Royals, and left fielder Alex Gordon added two hits. First baseman Jose Abreu led the White Sox with two hits.
Prior to the brawl, tension started when both benches were warned by plate umpire Sam Holbrook after Ventura and Sale hit batters in the fourth and fifth innings.
After trailing 2-0 early, the White Sox tied the game in the fifth inning, hitting Ventura hard for the second consecutive inning. Left fielder Melky Cabrera doubled before first baseman Jose Abreu doubled over the head of Cain to drive in Cabrera.
The Royals jumped on Sale early, loading the bases in the first inning with one out. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales drove in two runs with a single before Sale settled down and retired the next two hitters to limit the damage.
Ventura made the most of the early run support, retiring the first eight hitters he faced and striking out five.
After Chicago second baseman Micah Johnson snapped that string with an infield single in which he just beat Ventura to the first base bag, the White Sox started picking away at Ventura.
The White Sox got to within 2-1 in the fourth inning when third baseman Conor Gillaspie singled home Garcia, who reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on another fielder’s choice in which Abreu was caught in a rundown between third base and home plate.
NOTES: White Sox LHP Chris Sale came up short in his bid to start the season with three straight victories for the second consecutive year. Sale won his first five games in 2014. … The White Sox’s offense came alive over previous five games. Chicago scored 25 runs and hit .313 as a team during that stretch. … Royals 2B Omar Infante (strained groin) could return to the lineup at some point during the four-game series in Chicago. Infante is hitting .250 in 11 games this season. … The Royals opened a seven-game road trip, as they play four games in Chicago before heading to Cleveland for a three-game set.
