KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Behind a resurgent performance from Anthony Kay and a suffocating pitching staff, the Chicago White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Thursday night, ending a frustrating 14-game losing streak at Kauffman Stadium.
Kay’s Return to the Win Column
Starting pitcher Anthony Kay (1-0) delivered his most impactful performance in years. After spending the last two seasons pitching in Japan, Kay earned his first Major League victory since July 2021.
Kay navigated 5 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits. While he dealt with some traffic via three walks, he neutralized the Royals’ threats with six strikeouts—dispatching Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, and Kyle Isbel twice each.
Pitching Duel at the K
Kansas City starter Seth Lugo (1-1) matched Kay for much of the night but was undone by uncharacteristic command issues. Lugo surrendered only four hits over 6 1/3 innings but issued a season-high four walks.
The White Sox capitalized on those free passes in two decisive innings:
- The Fourth Inning: Munetaka Murakami drew a leadoff walk and was driven home by a Colson Montgomery double to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.
- The Seventh Inning: Andrew Benintendi walked and eventually crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Luisangel Acuña, providing a crucial insurance run.
Defensive Highlights and Missed Opportunities
The Royals’ defense kept the game within reach with two spectacular double plays. In the second, Maikel Garcia turned an unassisted double play at second before firing to first. In the sixth, Bobby Witt Jr. snagged a Munetaka Murakami liner and doubled the runner off first base.
Kansas City’s best offensive opportunity arrived in the seventh after two-out singles by Garcia and Witt. However, Chicago reliever Grant Taylor induced a groundout from Pasquantino to extinguish the threat. Seranthony Domínguez slammed the door in the ninth to secure his second save of the season.
Up Next
The four-game series continues Friday night.
- Chicago: RHP Davis Martin (2-0, 2.45 ERA)
- Kansas City: LHP Kris Bubic (1-1, 4.09 ERA)
