twins/mlb

Final Score: Kansas City 4, Chicago 2

Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Salvador Perez hit the tie-breaking, two- run double in the seventh inning, and the Kansas City Royals handed Chris Sale his second loss in his last 15 starts in a 4-2 triumph over the Chicago White Sox.

Lorenzo Cain and Billy Butler homered for the Royals, who have won seven of their last 10 games.

Luis Mendoza (7-8) allowed four hits and a pair of runs while striking out six to win consecutive starts for the first time this season.

"He brought it tonight. He was sharp," Sale said of Mendoza. "He was good. I got outpitched straight up obviously. It was just bad. I've got to be better than that."

Paul Konerko returned from the 7-day disabled list with a homer, but the AL Central leaders had their three-game winning streak broken.

Sale (14-4) surrendered nine hits and four runs and also walked four batters over 6 2/3 innings.

"We had a couple of big hits off him," Butler said. "That's the bottom line. Sal (Salvador Perez) got the deciding hit with men in scoring position. That's when it counts."

The White Sox had runners at first and second with nobody out in the eighth, but Kelvin Herrera struck out pinch-hitter Dewayne Wise, Kevin Youkilis and Adam Dunn in succession.

Greg Holland ran into trouble in the ninth as A.J. Pierzynski doubled with two outs and Alexei Ramirez followed with an infield hit. Dayan Viciedo flied out to right field to end the game and give Holland his fifth save of the year.

Cain homered to left with one out in the second before Konerko, who had been sidelined since August 10 with a concussion, hit a ball over the wall in left field in the fourth inning.

Gordon Beckham's single to right in the next inning plated Alexei Ramirez, but Butler tied it with a homer in the sixth.

In the seventh, Mike Moustakas and Alicdes Escobar singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Escobar stole second before Butler was intentionally walked to load the bases prior to Perez's hit off the base of the wall in left field.

Game Notes

Chicago has lost seven of its last 10 games in Kansas City ... Youkilis went 0-for-3 and remains stuck on 999 career hits ... Royals second baseman Chris Getz left the game due to a broken left thumb after a pitch hit his hand on a bunt attempt in the fifth inning. He'll undergo season-ending surgery Saturday ... After the game Royals manager Ned Yost said they will recall Johnny Giavotella from the minors to play second base ... The White Sox also placed infielder Orlando Hudson on the 15-day disabled list with a contusion of the right metatarsal joint in his right foot and placed pitcher Leyson Septimo on the 15-day DL, retroactive to August 14, with left biceps inflammation and recalled pitcher Hector Santiago from Triple-A Charlotte.