Robert, Lynn star as White Sox beat Royals 5-2 for series sweep

CHICAGO — Luis Robert Jr. homered, Lance Lynn pitched six effective innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Sunday for a three-game series sweep.

Romy González went 3 for 3, including two-run triple that put the White Sox ahead for good as the Chicago won for the fifth time in six games. The White Sox also improved to 12-8 since an ugly 10-game slide.

Lynn (3-5) allowed two runs and four hits in his second straight win. The right-hander struck out six and walked two.

Lynn tossed the sixth straight quality start for the South Siders, whose rotation seems to be coalescing.

“The starters as a whole are doing what we're capable of,” Lynn said. “If we do what we're supposed to, it puts the bullpen in a good spot and you've seen them really take off too.”

Lynn kept dealing after giving up Michael Massey's deep two-run homer in the second that put the Royals ahead 2-0. Massey has three homers this year — all against Chicago.

“He just settled in and does what he does," manager Pedro Grifol said. “He just keeps us in games and knows who to navigate through that lineup three times.”

Kansas City finished with just four hits as three Chicago relievers closed it out, with Joe Kelly pitching a perfect ninth for his first save. The last-place Royals have dropped seven of nine.

Royals right-hander Carlos Hernández pitched the first two innings, retiring his six batters and striking out the first three. Max Castillo (0-1) then allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

“(Hernández) was throwing the ball really well, challenged hitters and has really good stuff,” said Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said, who has no plans to stretch out Hernández beyond being an opener or reliever.

Robert hit a solo drive in the fourth for his 13th homer, and Chicago went ahead to stay with three runs in the fifth.

With one out and runners on second and third, González tripled to the base of the wall in right.

“It was definitely a good day and a huge gift,” Gonzáles said. ”It was just looking for something to drive. I had a good pitch and put a good swing on it."

Andrew Benintendi then made it 4-2 with a sacrifice fly on a foul ball to left.

Benintendi added an RBI single in the seventh, driving in Tim Anderson and helping Chicago close out its first winning homestand at 6-3.

González started at shortstop in place of Anderson, appearing in only his second game in May. Anderson entered batting .211 with no homers and two RBIs over 17 games this month.

Grifol said it was a maintenance day for Anderson. The two-time All-Star entered in the sixth after González moved to second base when Hanser Alberto departed with left shoulder soreness.

FRAZIER RETURNS TO MAJORS

The White Sox promoted Clint Frazier from Triple-A Charlotte and cut fellow outfielder Jake Marisnick. Frazier went 1 for 3 and scored a run in his first big league game in almost a year.

HOMETOWN VISIT

The 24-year-old Massey, from the southwest Chicago suburb of Palos Park, Illinois, was a White Sox fan growing up. The Royals drafted him from the University of Illinois in 2019.

Massey also said he got engaged during the weekend homecoming

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: RHP Mike Clevinger was placed on the 15-day injured list with right wrist inflammation. Clevinger is 3-3 with a 4.56 ERA in nine starts. ... OF/DH Eloy Jiménez will need a minor league rehab stint before returning, Grifol said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Brady Singer (3-4, 7.09 ERA) faces Detroit RHP Michael Lorenzen. (2-2, 3.44 ERA) on Monday as Kansas City opens a six-game homestand.

White Sox: Neither starter had been named for Chicago’s game at Cleveland on Monday. Clevinger had been scheduled to start for the White Sox.