Liberty, Mo. native Scott Carroll delivers a pitch against the Royals on Monday. (photo/MLB)
The Royals were hoping to catch a break with Chicago White Sox rookie phenom Jose Abreu out of the lineup. The first baseman was just placed on the DL, but was tearing up pitching in his first month and a half in the big leagues. The Sox didn’t miss his 15 homers and 42 RBIs.
Paul Konerko, subbing in at first, hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to put Chicago on top for good in a 7-6 victory. The home run, the Sox third of the game, helped them rally from a 5-0 deficit.
Royals starter Jason Vargas was the victim of all three homers. He gave up a three-run shot to Alexei Ramirez in the third, a solo blast in the fourth to Dayan Viciedo and then Konerko’s in the fifth. He allowed all seven runs in 4.2 innings.
The Royals jumped on Sox starter Scott Carroll, who grew up just north of The K in Liberty. Carroll allowed the first five Royals hitters to reach base and was down 5-0 after one inning. Eric Hosmer doubled in two, Billy Butler singled home Hosmer and scored on Lorenzo Cain’s single. Hosmer added an RBI in the fourth that put the Royals up 6-4.
