Kansas City’s Billy Butler (16) and Luis Hernandez, right, catch Chicago’s Scott Podsednik in a rundown in the ninth inning. Podsednik was tagged out trying to stretch his go-ahead RBI single into a double, but the White Sox won, 5-3, Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

Kansas City, Mo. ? The Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals are heading off in opposite directions. It’s no mystery why.

The White Sox are executing well and doing the little things right. Jim Thome drove in two runs, and Scott Podsednik and Alexei Ramirez delivered RBI singles in the ninth, leading Chicago past the staggering Royals, 5-3, Saturday night. It was the eighth win in 11 games for Chicago, following a five-game losing skid.

For the Royals, it was the 15th setback in 20 games following a six-game winning streak.

“We’re doing a lot of good things,” Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen said. “We ran the bases hard, going first to third. That’s the baseball you’ve been watching the last couple of weeks. We’re pushing every time we get on base, we try to get something done.”

The Royals in their three-week skid have been doing most of the little things wrong.

“We should have won the game,” said Trey Hillman, the Royals’ disgusted manager.

Mark Buehrle went 71?3 innings and gave up three runs and seven hits. He struck out six and did not issue a walk for the third straight start. The victory went to Scott Linebrink (2-2), who relieved Buehrle one out after Miguel Olivo had hit his first pitch of the eighth for a home run that tied it 3-all.

“We were playing bad and it was only a matter of time when we turned it around and started playing better,” said Buehrle. “Everybody knows we can hit home runs, but we’re not going to win every game just hitting home runs. We’ve got to get on and make things happen, top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup.”

In the ninth, Chris Getz singled and Josh Fields walked off Juan Cruz (3-1). Podsednik then drove in the go-ahead run and Ramirez, with his third hit, made it 5-3 with another RBI hit.

Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 opportunities.

After the White Sox sent six men to the plate to score one run and go ahead 3-2 in the eighth, Miguel Olivo tied it again at 3-all when he homered off Buehrle’s first pitch of the bottom of the eighth.

Royals starter Gil Meche went seven innings in his strongest outing in more than a month. He gave up five hits and two runs with two walks and tied his season-best with seven strikeouts.