White Sox at Royals
The Chicago White Sox hoped to emerge from the All-Star break with enough of a push to remain factors in the American League wild-card race. Instead, the White Sox were swept over the weekend in Oakland and will have to hit the reset button when they begin a four-game series at the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
After being outscored 18-3 in the first two games against the Athletics, Chicago carried a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning Sunday before Oakland tied it on a home run and then won it in the ninth on a throwing error by fill-in shortstop Jose Rondon. The White Sox, who are 8 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot, have won eight of the last 10 against the Royals and will try to stay in charge of the season series behind All-Star Lucas Giolito on Monday. He'll face a Kansas City lineup that produced eight runs - two on the 25th home run of the season by Jorge Soler - in a loss to Detroit on Sunday. Six Royals pitchers combined to allow 12 runs on 19 hits and the club will hope for some length out of Monday's starter Jakob Junis.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (11-3, 3.15 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jakob Junis (4-8, 5.33)
Giolito tossed a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Cleveland after entering the break on a sour note, giving up a season high-tying six runs in four innings of a loss to the Chicago Cubs. He has failed to get through six innings in four straight starts after lasting at least that long in his previous five outings. The former first-round pick, who turned 25 on Sunday, is 6-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 10 career outings against the Royals.
Junis is winless over his last seven starts, although he was solid in a no-decision at Washington on July 7. The Illinois native held the Nationals to two runs over seven innings while striking out six. He opened his season with a win over the White Sox at home and is 2-1 with a 5.34 ERA in five career meetings.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Royals traded RHP Homer Bailey to Oakland for minor league SS Kevin Merrell.
2. The first four hitters in Chicago's lineup Sunday went a combined 1-for-14 with five strikeouts.
3. Kansas City SS Adalberto Mondesi on Sunday reached 30 stolen bases for the second straight year.