Andrew Benintendi lined a fourth-inning sweeper from Ryan Bergert down the right-field line. The ball stayed just fair for a solo home run, putting the Chicago White Sox ahead against the Kansas City Royals.
It was a short-lived lead.
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The Sox surrendered eight runs in the fifth, the most they’ve allowed in an inning this season, on the way to a 12-1 loss in front of 10,598 at Rate Field.
“It was similar to (Tuesday night),” Sox manager Will Venable said. “The Royals did a really good job of putting the ball in play, they put the ball in play hard, used the entire field and really strung together quality at-bats one after the other.
“And once they got going, similar to last night, we just couldn’t stop it.”
The Royals scored three runs on five hits in the ninth inning Tuesday to rally for a 5-4 victory. On Wednesday, they got to Sox starter Aaron Civale in the fifth on the way to winning two of three in the series.
Civale allowed five runs on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 4 2/3 innings.
“Definitely seemed to be a contagious lineup,” Civale said. “They see one guy put a ball in play and land, and next guy seems to follow suit. At the end of the day, just have to execute some pitches a little bit better and be better in those situations.
“Felt like we were attacking pretty good. But it happened quick.”
The trouble for the Sox began right away when Royals catcher Salvador Perez went the other way for a solo home run to right to start the fifth.
“He’s been doing it a long time,” Civale said. “He’s a catcher, he understands the pitcher side of things and he can cover a big part of the zone and outside the zone as well.”
Adam Frazier singled, but Civale retired the next two batters. The next seven Royals reached base.
Kyle Isbel singled and Mike Yastrzemski walked, loading the bases for Bobby Witt Jr. The shortstop knocked in two with a single, giving the Royals a 3-1 lead. That was Civale’s final batter.
“(Civale was) really good for the first four innings,” Venable said. “He was really effective at the top of the zone with the fastball, some good curveballs. And then obviously in the fifth, got them going offensively and we couldn’t stop them.”
Vinnie Pasquantino greeted reliever Tyler Gilbert with a two-run single. After a walk, Perez drove in two more with a double. He scored on a double by Frazier, making it 8-1.
The eight runs topped the previous season high of six the Sox allowed during the second inning May 16 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The Sox lost that game 13-3. They fell into a 10-run hole Wednesday after a three-run home run by Yastrzemski in the sixth.
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pitched the final two innings for the Sox, allowing one run on four hits with two walks.“It’s huge,” Venable said of Lee covering two innings. “Obviously you hate to be in that situation, but we’re in that situation, you just hope that a guy can get through it healthy and throwing strikes. And he did a really nice job of that.”
According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, Lee became the third player in Sox history to catch and pitch in the same game. He joined Frank Isbell and Sam Mertes, who both did some catching and pitching in the second game of a Sept. 28, 1902, doubleheader.
Lee originally entered the game as a catcher in the seventh.
“Unfortunately when I’m pitching, bad things are happening,” Lee said. “I don’t want that to happen. Just trying to help the team, save the bullpen, and so be it. We get to go on to the next day.
“At the end of the day, it’s still really, really hard. Kudos to all the pitchers. It’s just unfortunate I had to go in there because of the situation.”