Seth Lugo pitched seven solid innings, Vinnie Pasquantino hit a home run, and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Monday night.
Lugo, who earned his third consecutive win, allowed only four singles in the game. This victory marked his second win against the White Sox this season, following his strong performance on April 4 where he allowed just one run in 6 2/3 innings.
“I feel like I had most of my pitches moving in the directions I want,” Lugo said. “Was able to locate when I needed to.”
The Royals extended their winning streak against the White Sox to 5-0 this season. Their impressive start has seen them allow the fewest runs in the MLB, with just 48 runs conceded in their 11-6 record. On the other hand, the White Sox have struggled, scoring only 34 runs in their 2-14 start to the season, making it the franchise’s worst start.
Andrew Benintendi managed two of Chicago’s four hits in their fifth straight loss.
The White Sox’s only real scoring opportunity came in the fifth inning when Braden Shewmake singled and stole second base, but they failed to capitalize on the chance. Chris Stratton pitched three outs for Kansas City before James McArthur secured his third save of the season.
In his major league debut, White Sox right-hander Nick Nastrini allowed two runs and three hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked two.
“For the most part, I thought I executed my game plan well,” Nastrini said. “I was able to use my fastball the way I wanted to, and I was able to use my off-speed in counts I liked to, so I think for the most part I felt pretty good.”
Pasquantino’s home run in the fourth inning, his third of the season, proved to be the decisive moment in the game. He also doubled in the sixth inning and walked in the eighth, adding to his strong performance in recent games.
