CHICAGO (AP) — The White Sox were on the verge of snapping their long losing streak Monday night.
Instead, it’s now a franchise-record 15 losses in a row.
Bobby Witt Jr.’s grand slam — and fourth hit of the game — capped Kansas City’s six-run, eighth-inning rally, and the Royals beat the White Sox, 8-5, at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Chicago led 5-2 after Andrew Vaughn’s solo homer to lead off the bottom of the seventh.
The White Sox turned to righty Steven Wilson out of the bullpen for the top of the eighth. He got the first out, but Hunter Renfroe and MJ Melendez hit back-to-back homers to pull the Royals within 5-4. Wilson got the second out but then gave up a base hit and was replaced by righty John Brebbia.
Things immediately went awry, as Brebbia hit a batter and walked another to load the bases for Witt, the budding young star shortstop.
Witt lofted the first pitch he saw from Brebbia, a low slider, into the left-center stands for his 19th homer this season and third career grand slam. Witt also singled twice and doubled.
“I thought our two best guys (Wilson and Brebbia) were on the mound,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “Those are the two guys we wanted at the end of the game.”
But it didn’t work out, and the White Sox will take their 15-game skid into Tuesday night’s second game of a three-game set with the Royals.
Chicago, which had a 14-game losing streak earlier this season, fell to a 27-82 through 109 games, 55 games under .500 for the first time in franchise history.
That’s now two games behind the pace of the infamous 1962 New York Mets, whose 40-120-1 record stands as the worst in MLB’s modern history. They were 29-80 through 109 games.
Witt shines
Witt, the son of former long-time MLB pitcher Bobby Witt, extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The 24-year-old All-Star shortstop is batting .545 (24-for-44) during the surge.
“I’m just trying to be ready for every pitch, because you never know what you’re going to get in the big leagues,” Witt said. “These pitchers are good , so you just want to be prepared.”
Grifol had to tip his cap to the young star.
“He’s a superstar,” Grifol said. “You see how he impacts the game in every single facet of the game.”
Luis Robert Jr. had three hits and an RBI for the White Sox, while Andrew Benintendi drove in a run with a double and Paul DeJong followed with an RBI single in a two-run sixth that put Chicago ahead. But the White Sox blew a save for an MLB-leading 27th time.
The White Sox took a 1-0 lead in the first on Gavin Sheets’ RBI single.
The Royals tied it in the third when Witt raced home from third on Salvador Perez’s tapper in front of the plate. Robert’s RBI single in the fifth tied it 2-2and chased Royals starter Alec Marsh.
The Royals improved to 58-49 and remained in position for the final AL Wild Card.
“There were so many things that went well tonight, but Bobby’s definitely the headline,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Great, great poise to not try to do too much, and he’s just got so much talent, so much bat speed and power.”
Righty Chris Flexen delivered a strong start to put the White Sox in position to win, allowing two runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and no walks in six innings.
Earlier Monday, the White Sox traded starting pitcher Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham to the Cardinals as part of a three-team deal involving seven players. Chicago also sent hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech to the NL West-leading Dodgers.
The Dodgers sent infield prospects Miguel Vargas, Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez to Chicago. Grifol expects to insert Vargas into the lineup once he arrives.
The MLB trade deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Roster moves
The White Sox called up outfielder Dominic Fletcher, left-hander Sammy Peralta and right-hander Touki Toussaint on Monday to fill the holes on their roster after trading away Fedde, Pham and Kopech.
RHP Davis Martin, who made his first appearance in relief on Saturday following Tommy John surgery 11 months ago, will take Fedde’s place in the rotation, Grifol said.
Up next
Royals RHP Michael Wacha (7-6, 3.65 ERA) faces White Sox rookie RHP Jonathan Cannon (1-5, 4.43) on Tuesday night.
First pitch at Guaranteed Rate Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.