Salvador Perez delivered a solo home run and two-run double during an eight-run fifth inning and Ryan Bergert pitched six sharp innings as the Kansas City Royals routed the host Chicago White Sox 12-1 on Wednesday.
Shut out in Monday’s series opener and for the first seven innings Tuesday, the Royals erupted for 17 runs over the last 11 innings of the series to take two of three in Chicago.
Kansas City remained three games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final American League wild card spot.
After limiting the Royals to one hit through the first four innings Wednesday, White Sox right-hander Aaron Civale (3-9) faltered in the fifth. He got two outs after Adam Frazier singled following the Perez home run but couldn’t finish the inning, exiting after Bobby Witt Jr. grounded a two-run single to put the Royals ahead 3-1.
Vinnie Pasquantino greeted reliever Tyler Gilbert with a two-run single and Perez added a two-run double before Frazier punctuated the rally with an RBI single that eluded Andrew Benintendi’s diving attempt in left.
Civale yielded five runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts.
Bergert (2-1) rode the run support to his first victory in five starts with the Royals. Acquired in a trade deadline deal with San Diego, the rookie righty spaced one run and six hits in six innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
His lone blemish came when Benintendi connected for a solo home run to right in the fourth.
Mike Yastrzemski reached Gilbert for a three-run shot in the sixth. Catcher Korey Lee worked the eighth and ninth for Chicago and allowed six baserunners, but just one run.
Benintendi had three hits for the White Sox. Edgar Quero had two.
Frazier went 3-for-5 to pace the Royals’ 16-hit attack. Michael Massey, Kyle Isbel, Yastrzemski, Witt Jr. and Perez each added two hits. Yastrzemski and Perez both had three RBIs.
Chicago placed center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (left hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list before the game. Robert left in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game with the injury.
Witt Jr. extended his hitting streak to a major league-best 16 games.
