KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ At long last, the Royals have a 2018 winning streak.
Cheslor Cuthbert homered twice, and Whit Merrifield came through with the game-winning RBI in the eighth inning as the Royals defeated the White Sox 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.
With the victory, the Royals won their second consecutive game for the first time in 2018.
Cuthbert was the biggest reason for the Royals' win.
Entering his fourth-inning at-bat on an 0-for-14 skid, Cuthbert powered a Hector Santiago sinker over the wall in left, contributing his first home run since Aug. 20 of last season.
Cuthbert came through again in the fifth. With two on, he muscled a low pitch into the first row of the Sonic Slam seats in left center, giving the Royals their first lead at 4-2.
That would last until the seventh.
Brian Flynn, in relief of starter Ian Kennedy, surrendered run-scoring extra-base hits in consecutive innings, only adding to a frustrating beginning of the season for the Royals' league-worst bullpen.
That all was rendered moot, though, following Merrifield's plate appearance in the eighth.
After Alcides Escobar was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball, Merrifield shot a single up the middle and Escobar was waved home. Entering the game, Merrifield was 1-for-18 this season with runners in scoring position.
With Kelvin Herrera unavailable, Blaine Boyer held off the White Sox in the ninth with only his third scoreless outing in nine appearances. Boyer, who entered the game with a 16.88 earned-run average, coaxed two ground-outs and a soft liner to pick up his first save.
Kennedy was strong early, showing few ill effects after being removed prematurely in his previous start Tuesday after he took a line drive to the right foot. The right-hander struck out the side in the first inning Sunday, which included Jose Abreu swinging through a 90 mph slider before he chucked his bat and helmet toward his team's dugout in frustration.
Kennedy's final line: five innings, five hits and two earned runs to go with six strikeouts and two walks.
Escobar left Sunday's game in the bottom of the ninth because a bruised left hand, with the team saying he's day to day.
The Royals, who improved to 7-20, open a three-game series Monday in Boston.
