Royals at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox look to record their fourth victory in five contests when they host the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday for the middle contest of their three-game set. Chicago recovered from a three-run deficit in Monday's series opener as Welington Castillo drilled a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 5-4 victory.
Castillo's blast was his first of the season and just his third hit of 2019 as his batting average crept up to .107, making him an unlikely hero. "I always believe and trust in myself and my abilities," Castillo said during a postgame television interview, "so I knew sooner or later, it was going to come. What is best is to come as a game-winning homer." Kansas City received a solo shot from Hunter Dozier and a two-run blast from Chris Owings to build a 3-0 lead in the second inning but finished with just six hits as its three-game winning streak was halted. Dozier went 2-for-3 for his fifth straight multi-hit performance and is 12-for-23 with three homers during a six-game hitting streak.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jorge Lopez (0-1, 3.71 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Reynaldo Lopez (0-2, 12.15)
Jorge Lopez has settled for no-decisions in his last two starts after losing to the White Sox in his season debut on March 31. The 26-year-old Puerto Rican gave up four runs and six hits over five innings in that setback, serving up back-to-back homers to Jose Abreu and Yonder Alonso in the fourth frame. Jorge Lopez has allowed three earned runs and eight hits over 12 innings in his last two starts.
Reynaldo Lopez has served up three homers in each of his last two starts, allowing 14 runs and 16 hits over 9 1/3 innings during that span. The 25-year-old Dominican recorded five strikeouts and issued four walks in each of those outings - a no-decision against Seattle and a loss to Tampa Bay. Reynaldo Lopez is 2-2 with a 5.16 ERA in eight career starts against the Royals, including a loss in his first turn this season in which he yielded four runs and six hits over four frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals 2B-OF Whit Merrifield went 0-for-3 with a walk on Monday for just his second hitless effort in his last 36 games dating back to last season.
2. White Sox SS Tim Anderson went 3-for-4 and scored twice in the series opener to raise his major league-leading batting average to .453.
3. Kansas City CF Billy Hamilton (knee) returned from a three-game absence on Monday and went 0-for-3.