KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luis Robert hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning after Johnny Cueto's impressive Chicago debut, and the White Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals, 5-3, on Monday night in the opener of a five-game series.
Yasmani Grandal also had a two-run shot for the White Sox, who squandered a 3-0 lead in the eighth.
Robert connected off Scott Barlow (2-1) with two outs, scoring the automatic runner as well.
The 36-year-old Cueto pitched six shutout innings in his first major league start this season after getting promoted from Triple-A Charlotte. He allowed just two hits and two walks, striking out seven. Only one runner reached second base against him.
Cueto, a two-time All-Star, made his first appearance on the Kauffman Stadium mound since throwing a two-hitter for Kansas City against the New York Mets in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series. He was acquired from Cincinnati just before the trade deadline that year and played a key role in the Royals winning the World Series.
Ryan Burr (1-1) worked a scoreless ninth and Liam Hendriks earned his 10th save in 13 tries.
Barlow got five outs without giving up a hit until Robert went deep.
Brad Keller also was solid for Kansas City. He allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings — with many of the hits coming on soft contact.
The White Sox got their first run on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Vaughn in the third. Adam Engel led off with a fly ball that dropped between left fielder Andrew Benintendi and center fielder Michael A. Taylor. Engel then stole second and scored on Vaughn's fly to right.
Grandal made it 3-0 when he lined an 0-2 pitch into the right-field bullpen. He drove in Robert, who extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games with an infield single.
The Royals tied it in the eighth. Whit Merrifield lined a two-run double off the wall in left-center. He went to third on the throw home and scored on a single by Benintendi.
TRANSACTIONS
Chicago selected Cueto's contract and optioned INF Danny Mendick to Charlotte. Cueto agreed to a minor league deal with the White Sox in April. His contract includes a $4-million salary in the majors and a $210,000 salary in the minors. He went 0-1 with a 5.17 ERA in four starts with Charlotte.
Cueto spent the past six seasons with San Francisco, going 7-7 with a 4.08 ERA in 22 games, 21 starts, for the Giants last year.
UP NEXT
The teams play a scheduled split doubleheader Tuesday.
The White Sox will send RHP Dylan Cease (3-1, 3.55 ERA) to the mound in the opener and wait until after that game to determine who will get the ball for the nightcap. It's possible RHP Lucas Giolito (2-1, 2.70) could return from the COVID-19 injured list, manager Tony La Russa said.
The Royals will have Jonathan Heasley (0-1, 2.70 ERA) pitch one game and Brady Singer (0-0, 6.35) the other. Kansas City manager Mike Matheny hadn't announced the order.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.
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