Vaughn’s homer lifts White Sox over Royals, 4-2

Chicago White Sox's Andrew Vaughn (25) celebrates with Lenyn Sosa (50) after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

KANSAS CITY, Mo, (AP) — Andrew Vaughn’s two-run homer in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie and lifted the Chicago White Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Lucas Giolito (2-2) allowed two runs on five hits over six innings in a game that started two hours late because of rain. Kendall Graveman worked the ninth for his first save.

Jordan Lyles (0-6) threw a complete game, the first by a Royals pitcher in more than two years, allowing four runs on six hits with no walks. Brad Keller was the last Kansas City starter to go the distance, in his 11-0 shutout of Pittsburgh on Sept. 13, 2020.

Once the game got started, it moved quickly. The first five innings took just 1:01 to complete. Giolito gave up one run on three hits through five while Lyles gave up a run on two hits. But both pitchers ran into trouble in the sixth.

Lenys Sosa led off the Chicago sixth with a double and with one out, Vaughn hit a sinker from Lyles 422 feet into the bullpen in left.

Bobby Witt Jr. led off the bottom of the inning with a triple down the right-field line. He was clocked at 11.09 seconds from the plate to third — the second-fastest triple in the majors this season behind Arizona’s Corbin Carroll (10.91 seconds) on April 25, also at Kansas City. Witt scored on a bloop hit by Pasquantino.

Giolito then walked two of the next three batters, loading the bases with one out. But he got Hunter Dozier to pop out and Freddy Fermin to hit into a fielder’s choice.

Seby Zavala had a two-out RBI single in the seventh for Chicago.

Vinnie Pasquantino homered for the Royals in the first, a drive to right estimated at 420 feet.

Luis Robert made it 1-1 in the fourth when he lined the first pitch from Lyles 430 feet into the bullpen in left. It was the first baserunner Lyles allowed.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals LHP Ryan Yarbrough, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday with broken bones in his face after taking a 106-mph line drive off the bat of Oakland’s Ryan Noda on Sunday, was released from the hospital Monday night. Manager Matt Quatraro said Yarbrough had a follow-up Tuesday and will not need surgery. He’ll have another follow-up in a month before he can return to more strenuous activity.

UP NEXT

Chicago RHP Lance Lynn (1-4, 6.68 ERA) faces Kansas City’s Brad Keller (2-3, 4.67) in the third game of the four-game series.

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