KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. scored the first run and drove in the second to back five overpowering innings and 11 strikeouts from Cole Ragans as the Kansas City Royals stayed hot with a 3-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.
The Royals (20-16) took the opener of a four-game series to begin a seven-game homestand. They have won three straight and 11 of 13.
Witt, who walked and stole a base before being stranded in the first, led off the fourth with a single. He stole his 11th base, advanced to third on a wild pitch by rookie Shane Smith and scored on a one-out single by Maikel Garcia.
Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India reached on one-out singles and Witt doubled to right to make it 2-0 in the fifth.
Ragans (2-1), who missed a start with a mild groin strain, came in averaging an MLB-best 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The left-hander allowed three hits and walked two in his fourth outing with 10 or more strikeouts this season and his ninth in 60 career starts.
Four relievers finished a six-hitter. Carlos Estévez pitched a one-hit ninth for his 10th save.
Smith (1-2) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings.
Key moment
Caleb Freeman made his major league debut in the eighth for Chicago and struck out Salvador Perez before walking Garcia, who stole second and moved to third on a flyout. Drew Waters singled with two strikes for a 3-0 lead.
Key stat
Kansas City hit a club-record seven home runs in an 11-6 win over the Orioles on Sunday after launching three solo shots in 4-0 victory Saturday. The Royals entered the series with an MLB-low 15 homers.
Up next
RHP Sean Burke (2-4, 4.91 ERA) starts Tuesday for the White Sox against RHP Seth Lugo (3-3, 3.07).
___
AP MLB:
