KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — John Rave homered playing in place of the ailing Vinnie Pasquantino and the Kansas City Royals beat Chicago White Sox 6-2 on Saturday night to move above .500 for the first time since June 10.
Pasquantino left in the first inning because of heat-related illness. The game-time temperature was 94 degrees, with the humidity above 50%. Nick Loftin moved to first base, and Rave took over for Loftin in left.
Michael Lorenzen made his first start for Kansas City since July 6. He allowed three hits in four scoreless innings. Daniel Lynch IV (5-2) was the winner.
Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a homer off Sean Burke (4-10). The Royals added an unearned run in the second, and Rave made it 3-0 in the third with his fourth home.
In the fifth, Rave singled and scored on Maikel Garcia’s two-run double. Loftin had an RBI single in the sixth.
Andrew Benintendi doubled in two runs for Chicago in the eighth.
Key moment
Rave’s homer in his first at-bat.
Key stat
The Royals (62-61) had lost in their last five chances to move above .500.
Up next
Chicago RHP Davis Martin (4-9, 4.17 ERA) was set to start opposite RHP Ryan Bergert (1-1, 2.87) on Sunday in the series finale.