KANSAS CITY, Mo. — White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal had the first four hits of his promising big league career, including two during a seven-run seventh inning, and Chicago beat the Kansas City Royals 9-2 on Sunday to finish a three-game sweep.
Yasmani Grandal added three RBI and Nicky Delmonico two in support of right-hander Dylan Cease (1-1), who gave up a homer to Alex Gordon in the third inning but otherwise steered clear of trouble. Cease wound up allowing two runs and five hits over six innings in a solid bounce-back performance from a miserable start in Detroit.
Scott Barlow (1-1) took the loss for the Royals on a second straight terrible outing by their bullpen.
The Royals had high hopes Jakob Junis would get their pitching back on track. He was recalled along with batterymate Cam Gallagher earlier in the day to make his season debut. Both players had been cleared after testing positive for COVID-19 and building up their stamina at the club’s alternate training site in Kansas City, Kansas.
Junis and Gallagher worked well together through 4 1/3 innings, surrendering just two runs and six hits.
It was the bullpen that let Kansas City down.
SS Adalberto Mondesi left after the fifth with a bruised quad. Nicky Lopez replaced him. … OF Hunter Dozier (coronavirus) could join the alternate site camp Monday to begin a two-week ramp-up, general manager Dayton Moore said. Dozier tested positive July 22 but has been cleared to return.
The Royals begin a four-game, two-city series against the Cubs on Monday night at 7:15 with lefty Danny Duffy (0-1, 5.79 ERA) starting the first of two in Chicago