Anthony Kay allowed three hits in 5 2/3 innings to pick up his first major league victory since July 2021 as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 2-0 on Thursday night.
Kay (1-0), who pitched the last two seasons in Japan, walked three but struck out six, getting Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel twice each.
Seranthony Domínguez picked up his second save as the White Sox snapped a 14-game losing streak at Kauffman Stadium.
Kansas City starter Seth Lugo (1-1) was nearly as good as Kay, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed four hits and struck out four, but issued a season-high four walks, twice his total so far this season.
Two of those walks came in the seventh, with Andrew Benintendi, who reached via the first walk of the inning, scoring Chicago’s second run on Luisangel Acuña’s sacrifice fly.
The White Sox got on the board in the fourth. Munetaka Murakami coaxed a leadoff walk from Lugo. He then scored on a one-out double by Colson Montgomery.
Lugo was bailed out by a couple of stellar double plays. In the second, third baseman Maikel Garcia fielded a hard grounder in the hole, raced to second and then fired a throw to first to turn two.
In the sixth, Bobby Witt Jr. grabbed a line drive by Murakami behind second. He raced to the bag and got Murakami at first.
The Royals had their best chance to score in the seventh after Garcia and Witt hit two-out singles. But Grant Taylor got Pasquantino to ground out to end the inning.
The White Sox and Royals will play the second game of a four-game series on Friday night. Chicago will send RHP Davis Martin (2-0, 2.45 ERA) to the mound to face Kansas City LHP Kris Bubic (1-1, 4.09).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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