Kansas City Royals rookie left-hander Daniel Lynch took another step forward with a strong outing against a team that had bullied and battered him in his first brief stint in the majors.
Lynch and the Royals bullpen held the Chicago White Sox to two runs as the Royals won the rubber match of the three-game set, 3-2, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Thursday night.
The White Sox entered the day with the best winning percentage at home of any team in the majors. The Royals went 5-4 in nine games this season on White Sox turf.
The win gave the Royals (47-60) their second series win over the AL Central-leading White Sox (63-46) in two weeks. After losing the first four games of the road trip, they Royals have won back-to-back games.
Lynch (2-3) allowed one run on four hits and one walk. He struck out a career-high seven batters, and pitched into the sixth inning.
In his last three starts since the Royals recalled him from the minors, Lynch has allowed four earned runs, walked four and struck out 13 in 19 innings.
Royals third baseman Emmanuel Rivera doubled and drove in two runs in his second game back off the injured list, and Edward Olivares homered for the third time in five games (four starts) since being recalled from the minors on July 31.
The Royals, Nicky Lopez doubled, and Whit Merrifield walked and registered his MLB-best 29th stolen base.
Josh Staumont, Greg Holland, Scott Barlow and Jake Brentz each pitched an inning of relief for KC. Brentz recorded his first save in the majors.
