Jiménez hits 3-run HR, rallies White Sox past Royals 5-3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eloy Jiménez logged his first big hit of the season, launching a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning that sent the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 5-3 Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old slugger, who was the 2019 AL Rookie of the Year and then kept up his power surge during the pandemic-shortened season, tore a pectoral muscle in spring training. He hadn’t played in the majors until going 0 for 4 Monday night.

But Jiménez quickly made up for lost time in his second game. After hitting a single in his first at-bat, he came up in the eighth after a two-out intentional walk to Jose Abreu with Chicago trailing 3-2.

Jiménez connected for a 459-foot drive to left-center off Kyle Zimmer (4-1) to cap a four-run rally.

“I was thinking they were going to walk Jose because they didn’t think I was ready,” Jiménez said. “But I was ready for that.”

Jiménez, known more for his bat than mitt, started in left field.

“First of all, Eloy was the defensive star of the game,” Chicago manager Tony La Russa said. “That was Gold Glove stuff out there. But if I’m (Royals manager) Mike (Matheny), I make the same move. (Eloy) hadn’t taken serious at bats in four or five months.

“But that’s a legitimate home run," he said.

The White Sox increased their AL Central lead to 9 1/2 games. They’ve been winning all season despite a lack of power — they began the game next-to-last in the AL with 106 homers, three more than the Royals.

Yoán Moncada had an RBI grounder in the eighth that got Chicago within 3-2.

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for Kansas City.

Reynaldo Lopez (1-0) picked up the win in relief. Liam Hendriks earned his 25th save.

The Royals wasted a stellar effort by Brad Keller, who...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Jimenez-hits-3-run-HR-rallies-White-Sox-past-16344684.php