KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Matt Davidson has become a Royal pain in Kansas City.
Davidson homered twice, including a tiebreaking, two-run drive in the 11th inning, and set a record for home runs in a season by a visiting player at Kauffman Stadium as the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Friday night.
Davidson and Joe McEwing, who picked up his first managerial victory filling in for Rick Renteria, were loaded into shopping carts and wheeled into the White Sox showers for festivities.
“We’re celebrating a little bit,” Davidson said. “I guess I broke some records here. That was fun. We do that for everybody.”
Davidson has seven home runs in 15 at-bats over four games at Kansas City — one less home run than the Royals have hit in 12 home games this season.
“At this level, I guess you don’t really kind of expect that,” Davidson said. “But, it happened, so I just want to keep it going. More importantly we got the win. We’ve got a lot of ground to make up and we won the game.”
In the dugout, McEwing said there was “a look of disbelief” after Davidson’s 11th-inning homer.
“Like can’t believe this is happening,” McEwing said.
Davidson has 12 RBIs and a 1.933 slugging percentage this season at Kansas City.
“We’ve got to find a way,” Royals manager Ned Yost said to stop Davidson. “We’re getting balls up and out over the plate right now and he’s just hammering them. He’s not missing them. He’s just hot right now. It surprised me he could hit the ball out of the park that way off Timmy. He’s got a lot of power. He can hit it out of this ballpark about anywhere.”
Duffy isn’t sure how to prevent Davidson’s blasts.
“I don’t often pitch around people,” Duffy said. “I think I’ve done it twice or three times in my career. And I tried to tonight and hung a 3-1 slider. The guy is red hot in this ballpark on the season. It’s one of those things.”
Kansas City is a big league-worst 1-11 at home. Four of Chicago’s seven wins this season have been at Kauffman Stadium.
Leury Garcia singled home Yoan Moncada with the other run in the 11th. Gregory Infante (1-1) won, and Joakim Soria got his fourth save in five chances.
Duffy remained winless in six starts this season. He gave up four runs and six hits in six innings.
Kansas City built a 2-0 lead in the first on Mike Moustakas’ eighth homer and Jorge Soler’s RBI double — which came after first baseman Jose Abreu dropped Soler’s foul popup for an error.
RENTERIA ABSENT
Renteria missed the game to attend his mother’s funeral in Austin, Texas, and plans to return for Sunday’s game. Bench coach McEwing was the acting manager.
LIFE SAVERS
On Saturday, Yost is hosting one of the trauma surgeons and a group of medical personnel from Atlanta Grady Hospital that helped save him after his fall from a deerstand in November.
“They saved my life,” Yost said. “I was dying and very easily could have died. I’m glad for them to come and see this beautiful stadium and beautiful city.”
SCUFFLING
Kansas City went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners, half in scoring position.
MOVING AROUND
Jon Jay became the seventh Royal to hit in the No. 6 slot in the first 24 games
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: INF-OF Nicky Delmonico was held out of the lineup for the second straight game with a stiff neck. … Abreu returned after missing Thursday’s game with flu-like symptoms.
Royals: OF Bubba Starling, who pulled his left oblique in spring training, was activated and optioned to Triple-A Omaha.
UP NEXT
White Sox: Rookie RHP Carson Fulmer is to start the first game of the doubleheader.
Royals: RHP Trevor Oaks will be the 26th man and make his big league debut, starting the day game. LHP Eric Skoglund is to start the second game.
Photo credit – Colin E. Braley / Associated Press / Kansas City, MO
