Whit Merrifield drove in a career-high five runs as the Royals crushed the White Sox 14-6 in Chicago. Merrifield hit a three-run homer in the third and drove in two with a triple in the sixth. Jorge Bonifacio also went deep for Kansas City. Jason Vargas tossed six frames of three-run ball to pick up his 14th win. The game ended with center fielder Alex Gordon leaping above the wall to rob Nicky Delmonico of a two-run homer.
The Royals head west five games behind Cleveland and a half game behind Minnesota in the Central, but just one game out for the second AL wild card.
Rookie right-hander Jake Junis will be recalled today and start for the Royals against the A’s. Junis allowed one run over eight innings to beat the Mariners on August 6th in the second game of a doubleheader as the 26th man. Jharel Cotton will be the A’s starter.
