CHICAGO — Melky Cabrera hit a go-ahead, two-run homer against his former team in the eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 Saturday night to stop a five-game losing streak.
Cabrera, acquired from Kansas City on July 30, homered with one out off Aaron Bummer (1-3) and drove in Lorenzo Cain, who led off the inning with a walk and Chris Beck. Cabrera has an eight-game hitting streak.
Scott Alexander (3-3) won after allowing a two-run, two-out single in the seventh to Leury Garcia that put Chicago ahead 4-3.
Joakim Soria pitched a perfect eighth, and Kelvin Herrera worked around a walk in a hitless ninth for his 25th save in 28 chances. After pinch-runner Tyler Saladino stole second, third baseman Mike Moustakas made a diving stop on Adam Engel’s grounder and threw to first for the final out, ending Chicago’s four-game winning streak.
White Sox starter James Shields struck out a season-high eight in six innings, allowing three runs and seven hits.
Jose Abreu hit a pair of solo home runs against Ian Kennedy, who gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Abreu became the first White Sox player to reach 20 homers in each of his first four seasons.
RED SOX 10, YANKEES 5 Rookie Andrew Benintendi rocketed a pair of three-run homers off All-Star Luis Severino and the Boston Red Sox bounced back from a tough loss, roughing up the New York Yankees. A day after blowing a late lead, the AL East leaders battered Severino for a career-worst 10 runs. Drew Pomeranz pitched the Red Sox to their ninth win in 10 games, and restored their 4½-game lead over New York.
INDIANS 3, RAYS 0 Jay Bruce drove in his first two runs for the Cleveland Indians and Mike Clevinger struck out nine in seven innings in a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Bruce, acquired in a trade from the New York Mets on Wednesday night, drove in the first run with a two-out fly ball that dropped for a double between left fielder Corey Dickerson and third baseman Trevor Plouffe in the first inning.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 6, BRAVES 5 Randal Grichuk and Paul DeJong homered and the St. Louis Cardinals stretched their winning streak to eight games with a victory over the Atlanta Braves. Carlos Martinez (9-9) tossed six solid innings and also drove in a run for the Cardinals, who moved within ½ game of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
DIAMONDBACKS 6, CUBS 2 Patrick Corbin pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, David Peralta hit an inside-the-park home run and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cubs, cutting Chicago’s NL Central lead over St. Louis to a percentage point. Jon Lester (8-7) allowed four runs — three earned — and seven hits in six innings as the Cubs lost their third straight and for the seventh time in nine games.
PHILLIES 3, METS 1 Aaron Nola held an opponent to two runs or fewer for his 10th straight start, Freddy Galvis had a go-ahead single during a fifth-inning rally and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the veteran-shedding New York Mets. Nola (9-7) gave up one run and two hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. He is 6-2 with a 1.71 ERA in his last 10 starts and is the only Phillies pitcher since 1900 to have 10 straight starts of at least six innings while allowing two runs or fewer, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.