Lugo pitches 7 crisp innings as the Royals beat the White Sox 2-0

By JAY COHEN AP Baseball Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Seth Lugo pitched seven crisp innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals topped the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Monday night.
Lugo (3-0) allowed four hits — all singles — in his third straight win. The right-hander also beat the White Sox with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball on April 4.
“I feel like I had most of my pitches moving in the directions I want,” he said. “Was able to locate when I needed to.”
Kansas City improved to 5-0 against Chicago already this season. The surprising Royals have allowed a major league-low 48 runs during their 11-6 start, and the White Sox have scored 34 runs so far — also the lowest total in the big leagues.
Andrew Benintendi had two of Chicago’s four hits in its fifth consecutive loss — part of a franchise-worst 2-14 start. The White Sox became the first team to get shut out six times in their first 16 games since the 1907 Brooklyn Superbas, according to Baseball Reference.
“I just think a lot of these guys are pressing,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “But it’s not something we can talk about every single day and use that crutch. We’ve got to make adjustments, plain and simple.”
Braden Shewmake was the only Chicago runner to advance past first base. He singled and swiped second in the fifth, but was stranded there when Robbie Grossman flied to the warning track in right.
Chris Stratton got three outs for Kansas City before James McArthur earned his third save.
Gavin Sheets was hit by a pitch with two down in the ninth, but McArthur struck out pinch-hitter Eloy Jiménez for the final out.
White Sox right-hander Nick Nastrini (0-1) permitted two runs and three hits over five innings in his major league debut. He struck out five and walked two.
“For the most part I thought I executed my game plan really well,” he said, “and I was able to use my fastball the way I wanted to and I was able to use my off-speed in counts I really liked to, so I think for the most part I felt pretty good.”
Nastrini retired his first 11 batters before Pasquantino connected for his third homer in the fourth, a 421-foot drive to right on a 2-1 fastball.
Pasquantino also doubled in the sixth and walked in the eighth after hitting a home run off All-Star closer Edwin Díaz in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the New York Mets.
“I just feel like I’m trying to go have good at-bats,” Pasquantino said. “That’s it. Not really thinking about the result too much.”
Kyle Isbel hit a two-out RBI single in the fifth for Kansas City’s second run. The Royals had a chance to break it open, but Bobby Witt Jr. flied out to the wall in center with the bases loaded.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: C Salvador Perez rested after he had an MRI that showed a mild groin strain. He was replaced by Freddy Fermin. Perez left Sunday’s loss at the Mets following a fourth-inning collision at home plate with Starling Marte. … INF Michael Massey (low back strain) had an off day as he continues his rehab stint with Triple-A Omaha. “He’s progressing really well,” manager Matt Quatraro said.
White Sox: Jiménez was activated from the 10-day injured list. The slugger had been sidelined by a left adductor strain.
UP NEXT
Right-handers Brady Singer and Jonathan Cannon take the mound on Tuesday night. Singer (2-0, 0.98 ERA) pitched five innings of one-run ball in Kansas City’s 13-3 victory over Houston on Thursday. Cannon will make his major league debut for Chicago.