Eloy Jimenez set season highs with three hits and four RBIs, Jose Abreu homered and Chicago pounded the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Tuesday night.
The White Sox made no major moves before the trade deadline and will bank on improvement from within as they try to overtake Minnesota and Cleveland to win their second straight AL Central championship. This one wasn't exactly pristine, but they'll take the lopsided win.
The White Sox have been getting a big boost lately from Jimenez following a slow start and a right knee injury that caused him to miss six weeks. He has been on a tear since the All-Star break, going 14 for 33 with three homers in 10 games. That's sent his batting average soaring from .197 to .273.
Jimenez singled and scored in a three-run first inning and smacked a two-run double in the fourth to bump Chicago's lead to 5-2. He added a long sacrifice fly in the sixth before Abreu chased Royals starter Brad Keller (5-12) with a two-run homer off the left-field foul pole, making it 8-2.
Gavin Sheets hit a solo homer in the seventh. Andrew Vaughn added three hits and scored twice, helping Chicago move back above .500 at 52-51. The White Sox are 24-29 at home.
Lucas Giolito (7-6) went five innings, allowing two runs and five hits in his first win at home since beating Boston on May 25. The right-hander struck out seven and walked three after posting a 6.75 ERA in his previous nine outings.
Keller got tagged for eight runs and 13 hits - both career highs - in 5 2/3 innings.= The right-hander lost his third straight start.
White Sox CF Luis Robert was activated from the 10-day injured list after the slugger and Gold Glove winner was sidelined because of blurred vision and lightheadedness. Robert exited Chicago's win at Minnesota on July 15. He was having trouble seeing from a distance and getting jumps on balls.
The three-game series wraps up with the White Sox sending RHP Lance Lynn (1-4, 6.42 ERA) to the mound and the Royals going with RHP Brady Singer (4-3, 3.51). Lynn is coming off a loss to Oakland. Singer went seven innings, striking out 10, in Kansas City's 1-0 loss Thursday at Yankee Stadium that ended with Aaron Judge's homer off Scott Barlow.
