White Sox fall into first-place tie after loss to Royals, but they head to East Coast flying high

The White Sox couldn’t muster any ninth-inning heroics to make up for starter Anthony Kay’s struggles Sunday, as they dropped their series finale against the Royals 5-4.

But the Sox had already clinched their franchise-record 10th consecutive home series win during a 4-2 homestand ahead of another important seven-game East Coast road trip.

Then again, they’re all big trips these days for a squad getting used to life at the top of the American League Central, where the Sox fell into a tie for first place, thanks to the Guardians’ comeback win over the Mariners.

It’s a position few outside the home clubhouse at Rate Field ever expected to find the Sox in with June drawing to a close.

“Overall, we have been playing really good baseball, especially at home,” said third baseman Miguel Vargas, who bolstered his All-Star case with a home run and a double. “All the fans have been showing up, and we feel the energy. It’s easy for us to go out there every day in that atmosphere and win baseball games.”

It was a back-and-forth afternoon this time around for the Sox and Kay, who found himself in a 1-0 hole in the first inning after Carter Jensen’s RBI single.

Vargas responded in the bottom half with his 19th home run of the season, a two-run shot off starter Luinder Avila that put Vargas in a tie for the second-most dingers among MLB third basemen.

But Kay hit a batter and Colson Montgomery misplayed an easy grounder to short to set up Lane Thomas’ game-tying single in the second. A wild pitch advanced two baserunners before Bobby Witt Jr.’s sacrifice fly put the Royals ahead.

The Sox took the lead right back in the second after Antonacci started a two-out rally with a single. He advanced on Vargas’ double, and they both scored on Kyle Teel’s broken-bat single to left.

“This group of guys have been bringing a lot of energy and joy to the clubhouse, and for me, I just want to be part of it and enjoy the game,” Vargas said.

But the Royals tied it back up in the third when right fielder Braden Montgomery’s dive came up short on Isaac Collins’ two-out bloop RBI double. Then Jensen’s two-out double in the fourth scored Witt Jr. and prompted manager Will Venable to give Kay the hook.

After two solid outings against the Royals earlier this season, Kay gave up five runs, seven hits and a walk in 3⅔ innings with two strikeouts.

“This time, it was almost a completely different lineup with all the injuries they’ve had,” Kay said. “Just me not getting ahead against a lot of those guys kind of led to them having success.”

The Sox’ budding Montgomery connection kept the game within reach in the seventh, when Starling Marte tried to stretch his single to right into a double. Braden lasered a throw to Colson for the out at second.

Jacob Gonzalez, who walked off the Royals a day earlier, nearly legged out an infield single to keep the Sox alive in the ninth but couldn’t beat the throw from pitcher Alex Lange.

In lieu of walk-off fireworks, Venable said confidence was high heading into his team’s next tests: three games against the wild-card-contending Orioles and a four-game showdown with the class of the division in Cleveland.

“We found a lot of ways to win close games,” Venable said. “We continue to play well at home, against divisional opponents. We love to see it. A couple out there, maybe we could have got, but even those were hard-fought games, and tough ones. Just really happy with where the club is at.”

On deck

SOX AT ORIOLES

Monday: Sean Burke (5-4, 3.71 ERA) vs. Shane Baz (4-8, 4.31), 5:35 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.

Tuesday: Erick Fedde (2-6, 4.34) vs. Trey Gibson (1-2, 5.64), 5:35 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.

Wednesday: TBA vs. TBA, 11:35 a.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.