Kansas City, Mo. ? Unaccustomed to hitting home runs, Ruben Gotay was not sure the ball was gone.

Then the rookie second baseman watched it sail over the fence for his first major-league home run — just part of his four-RBI night Saturday in Kansas City’s 10-2 rout of the Chicago White Sox.

Gotay, one of several rookies auditioning for roster spots next spring, also tripled to help the Royals snap a seven-game losing streak.

Gotay tripled home two runs in a six-run second inning off Jason Grilli (2-3) as the Royals took a 6-1 lead. Facing Arnie Munoz in the fifth, he hit a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left for a two-run shot.

“At first I saw the ball slowing down. Then I thought, ‘OK, I got it,'” said Gotay, who received a chance to play every day when Tony Graffanino was injured in August.

He knows every base hit in these final games brings him closer to an opportunity next spring.

“This means a lot to finish on a winning note,” Gotay said. “We young guys want to show them we can play. We want them to know we can be on top for next year.”

Calvin Pickering and Angel Berroa also homered for Kansas City, which already has lost a franchise-record 103 games with one game left.

Brian Anderson (6-12) pitched his second complete game of the year, allowing seven hits and two runs, with one walk and four strikeouts.

“My sinker was pretty good, and I was confident I could throw it at any time in the count and get ground balls,” Anderson said. “And I had a pretty good changeup, too.”

Anderson recovered nicely after yielding a home run to Aaron Rowand to start the game.

Grilli, another rookie trying to earn a closer look next spring, went just 32/3 innings and allowed six runs on six hits, with five walks and only two strikeouts. Chicago’s Jose Valentin hit his 30th homer leading off the fifth.