Royals 5 - 3 White Sox
Final
  for this game

Treanor gets clutch hit, Royals hold off ChiSox

Jul 6, 2011 - 4:51 AM

Video

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Matt Treanor hit a tie-breaking two-run single in the sixth inning to lift the Royals to 5-3 victory over the White Sox in the second of a three-game series.

Felipe Paulino (1-2) allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out a season-high nine batters to earn his first win of the year.

"I deserved to win this game. I fought [hard]," said Paulino, who lasted six innings.

Alcides Escobar added two hits, including a two-run triple, as Kansas City was victorious for the second time in three games.

Joakim Soria put the tying runs on base in the ninth, but got out of the jam to earn his 14th save.

Jake Peavy (4-2), who was making his 240th career start, threw six innings, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks. He entered the game needing five strikeouts to reach 1,500 for his career, but he only managed to record four.

"I didn't get some close pitches and didn't have the command I normally have," Peavy lamented.

Paul Konerko had a home run and two RBI in Chicago's second loss in seven games.

In the second, Kansas City took an early lead when Billy Butler earned a leadoff walk, moved to second on an Eric Hosmer walk, advanced to third on Jeff Francoeur's fielder's choice and scored on Mike Moustakas' sacrifice fly to deep center field. After Treanor was hit by a pitch, Escobar laced a triple into the right-center field gap, scoring Francoeur and Treanor, giving the Royals a 3-0 lead.

Chicago answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning when Konerko led off the frame with a shot over the left-field wall.

With runners on first and second and two outs in the third, Konerko slapped a ball back up the middle for a base hit. Center fielder Melky Cabrera grabbed the ball and made a throw home to try and catch Juan Pierre, but Treanor couldn't make the grab at the plate and the ball deflected off his glove and rolled to the backstop, putting runners on second and third.

Carlos Quentin then smacked another single up the middle, scoring Brent Morel. An A.J. Pierzynski walk loaded the bases, but Brent Lillibridge fanned on a 1-2 slider to end the inning, keeping a 3-3 game.

The Royals took their lead back in the sixth inning after Butler and Francoeur singled around a Hosmer flyout. During a Treanor at-bat with two outs, Peavy threw a curveball in the dirt and the wild pitch bounced past Pierzynski, moving the runners up to second and third. Treanor then pulled a single through the left side of the infield that scored Butler and Francoeur to give Kansas City a 5-3 advantage.

Soria started the ninth and allowed a bloop single to Konerko with one out. After a Quentin flyout to right, Pierzynski lined a base hit into center, putting the game-tying runs on the bags. But pinch-hitter Alexei Ramirez's sharp grounder to short was snagged by Escobar and he tossed the ball to second for the game-ending force out.

Game Notes

With the loss, Chicago fell to 43-44 on the year. The White Sox have not been a game over .500 since they were 7-6 on April 15...Chicago fell to 15-9 over its last 24 home games...Chicago hit 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base, and Kansas City went 2-for-11 and stranded nine.






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