Bonifacio homers as Royals beat White Sox 5-0

Jorge Bonifacio homered for the first time since he was suspended for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 5-0 on Saturday for just their second win in July. Bonifacio hit a drive into the home bullpen in left after Whit Merrifield led off the game with a single. He also drove in Paulo Orlando with a triple to left-center in the fifth, providing more than enough support for Danny Duffy in the left-hander’s second straight scoreless outing. The 25-year-old Bonifacio broke into the majors last year, hitting 17 homers in 113 games for Kansas City. But he missed the first part of this season after a positive test for Boldenone, resulting in an 80-game suspension. Duffy (5-8) struck out eight while pitching seven innings of four-hit ball. He tossed six scoreless innings at Minnesota on Monday night, but left with a no-decision after the Twins rallied for a 3-1 win. Such is life with the last-place Royals (27-67), who have just five wins in their last 29 games.

The White Sox (32-62) lost for the seventh time in nine games. Reynaldo Lopez allowed five runs and nine hits in 7 2/3 innings in his first start since his wife, Jhilaris, gave birth to a baby girl named Zoe on Friday. Manager Rick Renteria said Lopez texted him on Friday to let him know the baby was on the way and he still wanted to pitch.

“I said, `OK, make sure everything’s OK.’ He says, `I’ll be ready to start,”‘ Renteria said. “And it was as simple as that.”

Lopez (4-7) kept Chicago in the game before surrendering a two-run homer to All-Star Salvador Perez on a 0-2 pitch in the eighth. It was Perez’s 13th of the season. The White Sox also lost second baseman Yoan Moncada to a bruised right knee in the fifth. It looked as if Moncada banged knees with the Orlando while going to catch a pickoff attempt at second. The 23-year-old Moncada had to be helped off the field. X-rays were negative, and the team said he is day to day.

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