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Chicago White Sox left fielder Eloy Jimenez joined center fielder Luis Robert for the Saturday’s postgame news conference.

Jimenez fired off the first question to Robert: “How do you feel after four hits?” Jimenez said with a laugh.

Robert moved into the leadoff spot in place of an injured Tim Anderson. Robert looked more than comfortable in the role, going 4-for-6 with two doubles, a home run and two RBIs in the 11-5 victory against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

“I feel comfortable in that position (leading off),” Robert said through an interpreter. “I didn’t have to do anything different.”

Jimenez also had four hits, including a three-run home run, and four RBIs as the Sox won their third straight and improved to 4-4. Robert and Jimenez both fell a triple shy of the cycle.

“I told Luis we just need a triple in the next two at-bats,” Jimenez said. “And he said, ‘Why did you tell me that? Now I have to focus on triples. I just want to hit the ball good.’ I said, ‘OK, just hit it and you will get a triple.’ He was mad at me. So we got a four-hit game, and that’s good.”

Jimenez’s three-run home run came during the four-run first inning. The ball bounced off the glove of center fielder Bubba Starling and went over the wall for the home run.

“I felt really happy,” Jimenez said. “He gave me a homer.”

It was the third time in franchise history that teammates 23 or younger had at least four hits in the same game. Jimenez is 23, and Robert turns 23 on Monday.

The Sox collected 21 hits. The offense had a big night despite missing Anderson, the 2019 major-league batting champion whom the Sox placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right groin.

Leury Garcia, who moved to shortstop in Anderson’s absence, matched a career high with four hits. Yoan Moncada had three hits.

Jimenez’s home run gave the Sox a 4-0 lead.

Robert’s solo home run in the second extended the lead to 5-0. It was his second homer. He drove in Garcia with a double in the sixth and later scored on a throwing error.

Sox manager Rick Renteria previously said he wanted to use Robert lower in the lineup to get him acclimated to the big leagues. Robert hit in the No. 7 spot the first six games and the No. 6 spot Friday. Renteria looked at Saturday as an opportunity to see how Robert could fare leading off.

“We’re very, very happy that Luis had the production that he had,” Renteria said. “It’s a positive builder for him.”

Renteria said he’s “110%” certain Robert will get another crack at the leadoff spot.

Anderson was the leadoff hitter in the first seven games and was off to a strong start. Now, he’ll be out of the lineup for an undetermined amount of time.

“I was definitely excited to get back out there, but you can only control what you can control,” Anderson said before the game in Kansas City, Mo. “All I can do is continue to work to try to get back and not worry about too much. The bat is always going to be there. Just keep working, try to get healthy and get back out there and battle with my teammates.”

Anderson suffered the injury Friday in the Sox’s 3-2 victory against Royals. He slipped while trying to field a couple of grounders. Anderson went 2-for-3 before leaving in the seventh inning.

“It’s definitely frustrating but it’s a short season,” Anderson said. “I’m not trying to really force anything. There’s only 60 games. … I want to be out there. Everybody in this organization knows I want to be out there, but at the end of the day we’ve got to take care of what we’ve got to take care of. I’ll just put myself in the best position moving forward.”

Anderson is 10-for-33 (.333) with four doubles, one home run and one RBI in seven games this season.

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“He’s worked extremely hard to make himself who he is,” Renteria said. “We’re going to miss him in this little window, but I’m sure he’s going to do everything he can to work himself back and be ready to go.”

Anderson’s injury also opened a window for Yermin Mercedes. The catcher joined the Sox from the team’s taxi squad in Schaumburg.

Mercedes, 27, had four home runs and nine RBIs in spring training. He had a .317 average with 23 home runs, 19 doubles and 80 RBIs in 95 games between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte in 2019. He has no major-league experience.

The Washington Nationals originally signed Mercedes as a free agent in 2011. The Sox acquired him from the Baltimore Orioles in the minor-league phase of the 2017 Rule 5 Draft. Mercedes has a career .302 average in eight minor-league seasons with the Nationals (2011-13), Orioles (2015-17) and Sox (2018-2019).

“I’m excited because I waited a long time, long time,” Mercedes said. “I can’t cry right now, I’m excited. I’ve waited a long time but now I’ve got it.”

Gio Gonzalez waited a long time for Saturday’s start, his first with the Sox. They drafted him in the first round in 2004, then traded him twice. Gonzalez signed as a free agent this offseason.

He allowed five hits, struck out six and walked three in 3? scoreless innings. Matt Foster earned the first win of his career, and Codi Heuer picked up his first major-league save.