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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Rios beat the tag at the plate on a grounder in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals edged the Chicago White Sox 5-4 Sunday for a three-game sweep.
The Royals have won three straight games by one run for the first time since August 2012.
Kansas City widened its lead to 11 1-2 games in the AL Central and improved to 10-3 against the White Sox this season.
Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer that put Kansas City ahead 3-0 in the first.
It was 4-all in the eighth when Rios singled with one out off Jeff Petricka (3-3) and Paulo Orlando followed with a ground-rule double. Omar Infante hit a grounder to first baseman Jose Abreu, and Rios slid home ahead of the tag.
Kelvin Herrera (3-2) picked up the victory despite blowing a save and giving up the tying run in the eighth on Melky Cabrera's RBI single with two outs. Ryan Madson pitched a spotless ninth to earn his second save in four chances.
Eric Hosmer doubled home a run in the first and Morales hit his 13th homer. It was Morales' major league-leading 24th multi-RBI game.
Royals starter Danny Duffy was pulled after 3 1-3 innings and 73 pitches. He gave up three runs in the third on a walk, hit batter, wild pitch and two hits.
Gordon Beckham singled home the first run, his first RBI since June 21, and Alexei Ramirez had a two-out, two-run single.
Ben Zobrist put the Royals ahead in the fifth when he singled home Jarrod Dyson.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: OF J.B. Shuck (left hamstring strain), RHP Daniel Webb (back strain) and IF Emilo Bonifacio (left oblique strain) are on the 15-day disabled list.
Royals: LHP Brian Flynn (left lat tear) is rehabbing in Arizona, but it appears unlikely he will return before the season ends, although he did not require surgery.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Chris Sale, who has allowed 14 earned runs and 18 hits in 10 1-3 innings in losing his previous two outings, will start Monday against the Angels.
Royals: RHP Johnny Cueto will make his first home start since the Royals acquired him in a July 26 trade with the Reds. The Royals dropped his first two starts on the road.
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