KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brandon Moss gave the Kansas City Royals an early lead, and rookie Scott Alexander made it hold up in a tense ninth inning.
Moss hit a grand slam in the first Tuesday for his third consecutive game with a homer, leading the Royals to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Alexander worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his fourth save in six chances. He yielded a double to Adam Engel and a single to Yolmer Sanchez to lead off the inning. He struck out Yoan Moncada, retired Jose Abreu on a pop to Whit Merrifield and got pinch hitter Matt Davidson on a grounder to end the game.
“I was just trying to get outs any way I can,” Alexander said. “In that situation, such a great game, everybody played great, you don’t want to be the one to blow it. I was just doing everything I can to keep that run from scoring or at least not give up the lead.”
White Sox rookie Dylan Covey (0-5) walked the bases loaded in the opening inning before Moss drove a full-count fastball to right-center.
It was Moss’s fourth career grand slam and his first since July 24, 2014. He has nine RBI in his past three games.
“I don’t think you can ever go up to the plate with the bases loaded and not be excited,” Moss said. “That’s always a fun situation to hit in. The ultimate goal is always a grand slam. You don’t hit with the bases loaded very often. You’re trying to get a pitch to drive.”
Covey allowed just one more hit, a double to Eric Hosmer to lead off the sixth, before leaving after 5 2/3 innings. He threw 34 of his 83 pitches in the first inning and walked only one, Moss in the fourth, after the first.
“I was struggling with command early on,” Covey said. “You’d like to make the adjustment the next pitch, but it came a little later for me. It was halfway through the Moss at-bat when I started to get a little bit of rhythm. Unfortunately he got hold of one, but it was the walks that did me in.”
Sam Gaviglio (4-5) picked up his first Royals victory in his second start after being picked up on waivers Sept. 1 from Seattle. He yielded two runs on seven hits over five innings.
