Nick Pratto carries Royals past White Sox to open twin bill

Nick Pratto went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run as the Kansas City Royals defeated the visiting Chicago White Sox 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon.

The home run was the second one of the homestand for Pratto. Vinnie Pasquantino also clubbed a two-run homer for Kansas City.

Brady Singer (5-4) threw a solid 7 1/3 innings for the Royals. He allowed one run on five hits, striking out six and not walking a batter.

Jose Cuas recorded his first career save.

Lance Lynn (2-5) allowed all four runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked one.

Josh Harrison put the White Sox on the board in the third. He took a 2-2 pitch and placed it in the first row of the seats in left field. The solo shot was his sixth homer of the year.

The Royals answered in the bottom of the third with a two-run home run by Pasquantino, who pulled one down the right field line with the only question being whether it would stay fair.

Singer ran into a little trouble in the top of the sixth, allowing a pair of two-out singles. But he retired Jose Abreu on a lineout to second.

Pratto then gave the Royals a cushion with a 389-foot home run to the opposite field. He already had a single and a double in his first two at-bats.

Yoan Moncada's sacrifice fly in the ninth drove in the second Chicago run.

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who was serving the second game of a two-game suspension in the first game, was diagnosed with a sagittal band tear on the middle finger of his left hand and placed on the 10-day injured list after the game.

Manager Tony La Russa confirmed the injury happened on a checked swing in his final at-bat in Saturday's game at the Texas Rangers.