Jordan Lyles loses.....again

Jordan Lyles gave up three runs in 5 ¹⁄₃ innings, but failed to strike any hitters out and gave up his league-leading 35th home run of the year in a 6-4 loss to the White Sox. The loss was the 16th of the season for Lyles, which also leads the league.

Lyles threw goose eggs in the first three frames, but a Gavin Sheets RBI double in the fourth put the White Sox on the board. But the Royals took the lead in the bottom of the inning when Nelson Velázquez smacked a two-run home run, his 12th of the year, and 9th in 23 games since joining the Royals. Since joining the Royals on August 10, he is tied for fifth in baseball in home runs.

Lyles was pitching well until the sixth, when he gave up a two-run home run to Andrew Vaughn to give the White Sox the lead. Lyles exited at that point, but Tucker Davidson was also home run prone, giving up a dinger to the first batter he faced, Yoan Moncada, then a shot to Oscar Colás in the seventh to make it 5-2 White Sox.

The Royals battled back with two runs in the eighth when Edward Olivares smacked a pinch-hit two-run shot, his ninth of the year and third in 11 at-bats since rejoining the team. But Taylor Clarke gave up a run in the ninth, and the Royals could only muster a walk in the ninth against White Sox reliever Bryan Shaw, eventually falling 6-4.

The White Sox rapped out 14 hits, while the Royals managed just 4 hits against journeyman pitcher Touki Toussant and four relievers. The White Sox avoided the sweep while the Royals fall to 44-97. Kansas City will have an off day tomorrow before embarking on a six-game road trip that begins this weekend in Toronto.