Hernandez 6 innings for Royals in 5-0 win over White Sox

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Carlos Hernandez pitched six scoreless innings, Salvador Perez homered again and the Kansas City Royals beat the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox 5-0 on a blistering Thursday afternoon.

Perez put the Royals ahead with his 25th homer, a two-run shot in the first inning off Carlos Rodon (8-5). The Royals catcher hit a game-tying solo shot in the ninth Wednesday night before they won in 10 innings.

"Sal did what Sal does," Royals manager Mike Matheny said.

Kansas City won three out of four games in the series that ended with a hot matinee. It was 95 degrees at the start of the game, with a heat index of 106 that increased to 109 by the last pitch.

"When it’s 120 degrees on the field you have to minimize efforts," Matheny said. "That’s something the young pitchers have to understand. Carlos did a great job of that. .. All four games we were right there in it. I believe this about this team, they need to realize how good they can be when they put things together."

Hernandez (2-1) allowed just four hits, with one walk and four strikeouts. The right-hander allowed two baserunners in an inning only once, and only one runner reached third against him.

"I knew it was going to be a hot day," Hernandez said through a translator. "I just stayed on top of it. It’s always about attacking the hitters, and that’s what I did."

Rodon gave up four runs on eight hits over four taxing innings — the Royals had two hits in each of those innings. He struck out four without a walk.

The White Sox offense was dormant without three starters in the lineup, getting shut out for the sixth time this season. Jose Abreu (stiff neck) and Eloy Jimenez (right groin tightness) missed because of injury while Tim Anderson had a scheduled day off.

Perez hit his first-inning homer 446 feet to left-center. Michael A. Taylor, who had the game-ending RBI single the previous night, led off the second with a 432-foot homer to the same general area. Hunter Dozier and Taylor each added a sacrifice fly.

Richard Lovelady had two scoreless innings of relief for the Royals and Wade Davis pitched a scoreless ninth to wrap up Kansas City’s fifth shutout.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: Jimenez was not in the lineup after leaving Wednesday’s game in the ninth inning. La Russa said he was still awaiting the report about the severity of the injury.

UP NEXT

White Sox: Travel to Cleveland for a three-game series against the Indians. RHP Lance Lynn (9-3, 1.94 ERA) is expected to start for the White Sox. He is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 29 strikeouts in his last five starts.

Royals: Will be the first visiting team in Toronto this season, as the Blue Jays play their first home game in Canada since their 2019 season finale. Royals lefty Daniel Lynch (1-2, 7.88 ERA) threw eight scoreless innings in his last start for his first career win.