CHICAGO (AP) — Carter Jensen extended his franchise-record rookie hitting streak to 19 games and five Kansas City Royals relievers held the Chicago White Sox scoreless for five innings to end a four-game losing streak with a 5-4 win Sunday.
Jensen went 3 for 5 with two RBIs to extend the longest active streak in MLB, now the longest by an American League rookie since 2014.
The Royals (35-50) were outscored 24-2 in the first two games of the series but avoided their seventh sweep of the season.
Miguel Vargas homered and doubled for the White Sox (43-39), who fell to 17-10 in one-run games.
After starter Luinder Avila gave up four runs in four innings, Royals relievers Steven Cruz (2-2), Beck Way, Lucas Erceg, Matt Strahm and Alex Lange combined to allow only two baserunners over the final five, with Lange pitching a perfect ninth for his seventh save. The Royals have an MLB-high 22 blown-lead losses this season.
Jensen’s RBI single scored Lane Thomas in the top of the first to extend his streak. The White Sox answered in the bottom of the inning on Vargas’ 19th home run, a two-run shot 407 feet into the wind to left.
Thomas drove home Collins with a single and Bobby Witt Jr. scored Tyler Tolbert on a sacrifice fly in the second. The Sox responded again in the bottom half on Kyle Teel’s two-run, broken-bat single to left.
Collins’ bloop double in the third tied the score 4-4.
Jensen’s second hit, a double into the right-field corner in the fourth, put the Royals in the lead for good and chased White Sox starter Anthony Kay (6-3) after 3 2/3 innings. Kay had been unbeaten at home (5-0) this season.
Up next
RHP Sean Burke (5-4, 3.71 ERA) starts Monday for the White Sox at Baltimore against RHP Shane Baz (4-8, 4.31).
The Royals host the Tampa Bay Rays beginning Tuesday.
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