• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Royals hold on to beat White Sox

Aug 3, 2008 - 12:27 AM By Alan Eskew PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Kansas City Royals nearly blew a six-run lead and had to call on closer Joakim Soria for a five-out save in holding off the Chicago White Sox, 9-7, on Saturday.

The Royals collected a season-high 19 hits, including five players - Billy Butler, Esteban German, Mike Aviles, Ross Gload and Miguel Olivo - with three apiece. It almost was not enough, but Soria restored order to pick up his 31st save in 33 opportunities.

"The Kansas City bats were hotter than the weather," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

It was 95 degrees for the first pitch with a heat index of 111.

"The best word to describe it is miserable," Aviles said of the heat.

"I lost six pounds today," Olivo added. "It's been a long time since I've played in heat like that."

Butler hit a two-run homer in the second. He hit six home runs in July and has 17 RBI in 14 games since the All-Star break. German drove in three runs, matching his career high.

German stroked a two-run triple in the fifth and his single in the fourth scored Aviles. Jose Guillen also hit his team-leading 15th home run in the fourth and Olivo homered in the eighth for an insurance run.

The Royals grouped five singles in a two-run second. Gload's sacrifice fly scored Butler with the first run and Mitch Maier contributed a run-scoring single.

Mark Buehrle normally pitches well against the Royals, but he did not on this hot, humid afternoon. After a perfect first frame, the lefthander yielded eight runs on 14 hits in the next four innings.

"I like pitching in hot weather but this was ridiculous," Buehrle said.

The 14 hits off Buehrle matched a career high. He also yielded 14 hits on July 23, 2007, against Detroit and July 3, 2005, against Oakland.

"I don't know if I could do it if I tried to give up 14 hits," Buehrle said. "I made some good pitches and when I did, they hit them. When I missed, they hit them hard. When I did make a pitch, they put it in play and found holes. I was falling behind hitters and giving up hits. I didn't do a lot of things right today.

"It was nice to get quick runs, but I gave it right back to them. It was nice to see how we kept battling back. But, it's frustrating when they get you a lead and then you can't put up zeros."

Buehrle (8-10) entered the game with a 17-7 career record and 3.31 ERA against the Royals, including a 1.88 ERA in two previous starts this season.

The White Sox staked Buehrle to a 3-0 lead. Jim Thome and Paul Konerko hit back-to-back home runs in the second off Kyle Davies (5-2). Orlando Cabrera started the game with a double and scored on a Carlos Quentin groundout.

Davies left after 5 1/3 innings with cramping in both calves because of the heat, surrendering three runs on five hits.

Davies retired 11 in a row after Konerko's homer.

"After the home run Konerko hit, I realized I needed to settle down and start locating pitches or it was going to be a pretty short day out here," Davies said. "After the Konerko home run, the location of my pitches got a whole lot better, sharper and pretty much where I wanted them.

"We scored a lot of runs, which took me off the hook early, and we kept scoring them, which made me settle down and say, 'OK, well now, you can just pitch.'"

In the sixth, Dewayne Wise hit for Ken Griffey Jr., who had cramping in his right leg.

The White Sox scored four runs in the eighth off three Kansas City relievers to trim the gap to 8-7. The inning included Brian Anderson and Jermaine Dye hitting back-to-back home runs off Ron Mahay.

"We were a little worried in the last two innings when the White Sox tried to comeback, but Soria came in and shut everything out," Olivo said."

The last time the Royals had five players with at least three hits in a game was June 11, 2005 at Arizona.

"Just five guys," German said with three hits. "All nine guys were hitting."