• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Royals open brief set against White Sox

Apr 5, 2011 - 2:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Royals kick off a brief two-game series against the Chicago White Sox this evening, continuing a six-game homestand at Kauffman Stadium to open the year.

The Royals are off to a rousing start under Ned Yost, who has the club off to a 3-1 start in his first full season as manager. Kansas City captured the final three games of a four-game series with the Angels, punctuating the set with a dramatic walk-off win in 13 innings Sunday on Matt Treanor's three-run homer off Jason Bulger.

All three of the Royals wins came in their final at-bat.

Wilson Betemit's two-run double off Los Angeles closer Fernando Rodney knotted the score at 9-9 in the ninth while Melky Cabrera and Billy Butler added solo home runs. Alex Gordon was 4-for-6 with an RBI and four runs scored in the 12-9 final.

Tim Collins (1-0) got the win in relief for KC, working three innings and giving up just two hits with five strikeouts. Starter Bruce Chen lasted five innings and gave up five runs on eight hits.

Luke Hochevar gets the ball Tuesday for KC looking to bounce back from a loss in his first-ever Opening Day assignment last Thursday. The 27-year-old right- hander allowed nine hits and was charged with four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings in the setback to the Angels.

Hochevar was coming off a 6-6 2010 campaign in which he made just 17 starts. Two of those came against Chicago with Hochevar splitting decisions. Lifetime, he is 3-3 versus the White Sox with a 3.65 earned-run average in seven starts (eight games).

The White Sox were denied a three-game road sweep in Cleveland Sunday as the Indians notched a 7-1 win in the series finale, which featured a triple play turned by the Tribe.

Chicago starter John Danks was solid despite the decision, as he allowed six hits and two runs in six innings, while totaling eight strikeouts and walking only one.

"I felt good," Danks said. "I had command pretty much the whole game, but I made a few mistakes that hurt us."

Paul Konerko knocked in the lone run for the Sox, who ended with seven hits after outscoring Cleveland, 23-13, in the first two games.

Gavin Floyd takes the mound opposite Hochevar Tuesday for his first start of 2011, still aiming to re-capture the glory of a 17-win season in 2008. Floyd's win totals slipped to 10 last year from 11 in 2009, going 10-13 overall in 31 starts with a 4.08 ERA.

He faced the Royals four times in 2010, splitting four decisions while posting a 4.73 ERA. In 11 career starts (12 games) versus Kansas City, Floyd has compiled just a 3-7 record and 4.79 ERA.

Chicago won 10 of 18 matchups with the Royals last season.