The Kansas City Royals had opportunities to score, but their only run Saturday, June 7 came with a solo home run in their 4-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field.

Vinnie Pasquantino launched the home run to right field to lead off the second inning, for what would turn out to be the Royals’ only run of the game. The White Sox would respond with Tim Elko sending a two-run blast to center field, also scoring Josh Rojas, and would add another home run in the third from Chase Meidroth. The Royals had runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth, only for Adrian Houser to claim strikeouts of Salvador Perez and Drew Waters, as well as a grounder from Jac Caglianone, to strand both runners. The White Sox also turned two double plays to curtail the Royals, who went oh-for-five with runners in scoring position and stranded eight base runners. Another Perez strikeout in the eighth stranded Maikel Garcia at third, only for the White Sox to tack on an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning.

Pasquantino went three-for-three on the day, the only Royal with multiple hits. Michael Wacha took the loss, going six innings and allow three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five. Houser picked up the win with a quality start, also going six innings and allowing just the Pasquantino home run among his six hits and one walk, while striking out six.

The Royals remain fourth in the AL Central and are not only at risk of being swept by the American League’s worst team, but also falling back to .500. They sit 8.5 games behind the Tigers for the AL Central lead and 1.5 games behind Minnesota for the third wild card spot. Michael Lorenzen is tasked with salvaging a win in the series as he takes the mound Sunday afternoon. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m., with pregame at 12:30 p.m. on KMMO AM 1300.