CHICAGO — Mike Moustakas scored the tiebreaking run in the top of the ninth inning when White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers could handle a throw home and the Kansas City Royals beat Chicago 2-1 Wednesday in the rubber game of a three-game series.
Moustakas triggered the decisive rally with a lead-off single off Zach Putnam (3-2), the last of four White Sox pitchers. Alcides Escobar bunted Moustakas over before Aoki flared a single to center field.
Adam Eaton’s strong throw beat Moustakas to the plate, but Flowers lost control of the ball when the runner slid into him. Flowers was charged with an error on the play.
Wade Davis (6-2) pitched a scoreless inning and Greg Holland retired the side in order in the ninth inning for his 26th save.
After the teams traded runs in the opening frame, starters James Shields and Jose Quintana matched each other with six scoreless innings. Neither was overwhelming, but both were able to get key outs when necessary.
Shields allowed six hits in seven innings He walked one batter and struck out seven.
In seven innings, Quintana gave up seven hits and two walks and struck out three. He remained winless (0-5) against the Royals in 11 career starts.
The no-decision was the 36th for Quintana since the 2012 season, the most for any major leaguer in that span.
Chicago’s Adam Dunn singled home Jose Abreu to tie the score at 1-1 in the first inning.
Kansas City took the lead on Eric Hosmer’s sacrifice fly.