Once again, the Royals’ bullpen let them down in a 5-4 loss to the White Sox Tuesday in Chicago. Kansas City had a 4-2 lead after the sixth inning thanks to home runs. Mike Sweeney hit two of them. In the first he lifted a two-run shot over the left center field wall to make it 2-0. Sweeney and Eli Marrero hit solo homers in the sixth inning.
The White Sox responded with a solo home run from Aaron Rowand in the seventh. Rookie reliever Andrew Sisco took the mound in the eighth and allowed Carl Everett to lace a two-run double to give Chicago the lead and the eventual win.
Angel Berroa, Terrence Long and Matt Stairs went down in order in the top of the ninth to end the game. . Sisco was charged with the loss. Starter Brian Anderson lasted six innings and was charged with three runs off eight hits and no walks.
The Royals’ collapses in the late innings have cost them on a number of occasions in 2005. Of Kansas City’s 19 losses this season, eight of them have occurred when they were either tied or led in the seventh inning or beyond.
