KANSAS CITY, MO. — Chicago White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodón had an outstanding April.
His May is off to a stellar start after allowing five hits in six innings in a 3-0 victory against the Kansas City Royals on Friday at Kauffman Stadium. Rodón struck out eight and didn’t allow a walk, improving to 5-0.
The Sox were hitless until Zack Collins homered to center with one out in the fifth against Royals starter Brad Keller.
Tim Anderson doubled to right and scored on a single to left by Adam Eaton in the sixth to make it 2-0. The hit snapped an 0-for-20 skid for Eaton. José Abreu knocked in Eaton with a double to left-center.
Keller allowed three runs on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk in six innings.
Rodón struck out at least one batter in each of the first four innings. Carlos Santana and Salvador Perez had consecutive singles with one out in the fourth. Rodón struck out the next two.
Rodón pitched around a leadoff single in the fifth and a two-out single in the sixth, lowering his ERA to 0.58.
The first two batters reached in the ninth against Sox closer Liam Hendriks. He struck out the next two before an infield single by Michael Taylor loaded the bases for Nicky Lopez. Hendriks got Lopez to pop out to Anderson to record his sixth save.
With the win, the Sox (17-13) moved into first place in the American League Central. They are a half-game ahead of Cleveland (17-14), which was no-hit Friday by Wade Miley in a 3-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
