Fermin and Pasquantino homer as Royals hand White Sox 17th straight loss, 10-3

CHICAGO (AP) Freddy Fermin launched a two-run homer among his four hits and the Kansas City Royals pounded the White Sox 10-3 on Wednesday, extending Chicago’s franchise-record losing streak to 17 games.

Vinnie Pasquantino added a two-run shot and finished with three RBIs. Salvador Perez had three hits and drove in two runs in his 1,500th career game as the Royals won their third straight.

Perez joked that Fermin had his first four-hit game in the majors because the two natives of Venezuela chatted beforehand. Fermin appreciated the humor, then went to work.

“Just created my plan and tried to make a good swing and I did,” said Fermin, who is getting increased playing time and raised his batting average to .304. “I just want to continue to do that.”

Major league batting leader Bobby Witt Jr. lengthened his hitting streak to 13 games with two infield singles, boosting his average to .349. The star shortstop walked twice, scored three runs and stole his 24th base as the middle of the Royals lineup produced.

“That's why they are the heart of the order,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “That's what we need from them and they know that. When they're driving in runs and getting on base, we're a deep lineup.”

Andrew Benintendi drove in two runs with a double and finished with two hits for the major league-worst White Sox, whose slide is the longest since Arizona dropped 17 straight games in 2021.

“Show up in Minnesota,” Benintendi suggested as a way to end the skid. “I mean, if you dwell on it too long, I guess it will eat you up. So focus on the next one.”

Chicago (27-84) is 57 games below .500 for the first time and on pace for a worse finish than the 1962 New York Mets, whose 40-120 mark during their inaugural season is the poorest in baseball’s modern era (since 1900).

Brady Singer (8-6) allowed three runs on six hits over seven innings in his third straight win. The right-hander struck out four, walked none and was touched up only when Chicago scored three times in the second.

Singer settled down and retired 17 of his last 19 hitters.

“I was struggling a little bit at the beginning of the year,” he said. “I'm happy to get deep into ballgames toward the end of the year here.”

Kansas City is 60-49, a 26-win improvement over 2023 through 109 games, and holds an AL wild card.

White Sox rookie Drew Thorpe (3-3) yielded six runs and seven hits over five innings in a second consecutive rough outing following five quality starts.

The Royals jumped ahead 1-0 in the first on Pasquantino’s single. Fermin’s sixth homer in the second upped it to 3-0.

The White Sox tied it in the bottom half. Benintendi drove in two runs with his double and scored on Dominic Fletcher’s single.

Witt came home on Perez’s single in the third to put Kansas City back on top 4-3.

The Royals increased it to 6-3 in the fifth. Perez’s liner rolled out of Fletcher's glove in center for a double to drive in a run. Hunter Renfroe followed with a sacrifice fly.

Pasquantino's 12th homer iced it in a four-run eighth.

RETOOLED ROTATION

Kansas City RHP Michael Lorenzen, acquired from Texas in a trade Monday, will start Saturday at Detroit.

Lorenzen will fill the slot of righty Alec Marsh, who was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. Marsh was sent down to make room for reliever Lucas Erceg, who reported to the Royals and pitched a perfect eighth following a trade from Oakland.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox 3B Yoán Moncada, out since April 9 with a left adductor strain, is “ramping up” activity at the team’s Arizona training facility, manager Pedro Grifol said.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Seth Lugo (12-5, 2.66 ERA) faces Tigers RHP Keider Montero (1-4, 6.38) in Detroit on Thursday.

White Sox: RHP Davis Martin (0-0, 3.38 ERA) makes his first start since returning from Tommy John surgery against Twins RHP Joe Ryan (6-7, 3.69) on Friday in Minnesota.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB