Kansas City Royals’ Alcides Escobar is tagged by Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle after getting caught in a run down during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Melky Cabrera had four hits, including a home run, and Billy Butler hit a three-run homer to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.
The loss officially eliminated the White Sox from the playoffs.
The Royals’ five-game winning streak is their longest since they won five straight from Sept. 7-11, 2009.
Cabrera’s four-hit game matched a career high and his double in the sixth was his 40th as an outfielder — he has one as a DH. The Royals are the first team in major league history to have three outfielders with 40 or more doubles. Alex Gordon and Jeff Francoeur both have 45.
Butler’s 19th home run in the sixth inning came off Mark Buehrle (11-9), who has lost five of his last six starts.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
