Royals blank White Sox behind Michael Wacha’s gem

MJ Melendez hit a key homer and Michael Wacha tossed seven shutout innings as the host Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 3-0 on Saturday night.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh, when Salvador Perez singled to left off Chicago right-hander Chris Flexen.

On the next pitch, Melendez hit an opposite-field liner that was headed for the top of the wall in center. Chicago center fielder Dominic Fletcher got his glove on the ball, but instead managed to tip it over the fence for a two-run homer, Melendez's second of the season.

The Royals tacked on another run in the inning when pinch-runner Dairon Blanco scored from third on Maikel Garcia's infield single to second base.

The game evolved into a pitching duel between a pair of well-traveled veteran right-handers, Kansas City's Wacha and Chicago's Flexen.

The White Sox were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and are hitting just 4-for-38 with RISP over their first eight games.

The futility continued for Chicago in the top of the eighth after Paul DeJong led off with a double to left. But after a walk to Fletcher, Royals reliever Nick Anderson got pinch-hitter Robbie Grossman to hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.

Wacha (1-0), pitching for his sixth different team since 2019, got the win. He faced the minimum three batters in five of his seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out eight.

Wacha's outing was the Royals' MLB-best eighth quality start.

Flexen (0-2), on his third different team since pitching in Korea in 2020, allowed three runs through 6 1/3 innings, on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts, to take the loss.

Chris Stratton picked up his first save with a scoreless ninth.

The teams conclude their four-game series Sunday.