CHICAGO (AP) — Tristan Peters hit a grand slam and had six RBIs, Miguel Vargas had a three-run homer and an RBI double in Chicago's 10-run third inning, and the White Sox routed the Kansas City Royals 22-1 on Friday night.
The White Sox, who have won five straight against the Royals, set or tied season highs for runs, hits (23), homers (five), margin of victory (21) and runs in an inning (10 in the third). Chicago scored its most runs since a 22-13 win at Boston on May 31, 1970.
Click to Gallery
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Alex Lange reacts while walking to the dugout after being pulled from the game during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Mitch Spence (54) reacts after Chicago White Sox's Kyle Teel scored on a Chase Meidroth single during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth runs to home plate while scoring on a Tristan Peters two-run single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago White Sox's Jacob Gonzalez watches his three-run home during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
David Sandlin (2-1), who was called up from Triple-A Charlotte earlier Friday, allowed one run and had six strikeouts in six innings. The 25-year-old rookie gave up three hits and walked three.
Jacob Gonzalez, Andrew Benintendi and Kyle Teel also homered for the White Sox. Gonzalez and Vargas drove in five runs apiece, Teel had three RBIs and Chase Meidroth went 4 for 5 with two RBIs.
Vargas hit hiss career-high 18th home run this season to open the scoring in the third, Chase Meidroth singled to drive in a run and Tristan Peters added a two-run single before Gonzalez hit a three-run shot and Vargas' double made it 10-0.
The White Sox have won 23 of their last 28 home games and are 27-13 this season at Rate Field, tied with Tampa Bay for the best home record in MLB.
Mitch Spence (0-2) replaced Royals opener Steven Cruz in the second and allowed 10 runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Bobby Witt Jr. scored when Michael Massey, with the bases loaded and no outs, grounded into a double play. Salavdor Perez then struck out swinging to end Kansas City's threat.
Royals RHP Michael Wacha (5-5, 3.48 ERA) was set to start Saturday against RHP Davis Martin (9-3, 3.18),
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Alex Lange reacts while walking to the dugout after being pulled from the game during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Mitch Spence (54) reacts after Chicago White Sox's Kyle Teel scored on a Chase Meidroth single during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth runs to home plate while scoring on a Tristan Peters two-run single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Chicago White Sox's Jacob Gonzalez watches his three-run home during the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals in Chicago, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Walker Buehler usually pitched superbly against the San Diego Padres during the near-decade he spent wearing Dodger Blue.
In his first chance to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his still-new Padres uniform Friday night, Buehler was a star in this NL West rivalry once again.
Buehler beat the Dodgers for the first time since he left the World Series champions 1 1/2 seasons ago, pitching three-hit ball into the sixth inning of the Padres' 7-1 win.
The veteran right-hander played a significant role in building the baseball-dominating powerhouse he faced from the Petco Park mound in the opener of this weekend rivalry series. Buehler came through against the Dodgers' high-powered lineup, striking out five and yielding just one run to an LA roster still packed with his longtime teammates.
Buehler acknowledged feeling good about the latest strong start in his revitalized season for the Padres — but not particularly because of the opponent.
“I have no bad blood against that organization,” Buehler said. “They treated me very well for a long time, and I think in some way, I did to them as well. My last pitch there was the last out of a World Series. I don’t really know how else I would have gone out any better than that. So yeah, I want to beat everyone, especially in the division, and especially a team that has been so successful against the organization I’m with now. I want to be a part of turning that around.”
Buehler made two All-Star teams and won two World Series rings with the Dodgers, going down in franchise history when he came on in relief and got the final out in the clinching Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees in the 2024 Fall Classic. He also was particularly effective in rivalry games against the Padres, going 6-1 with a 1.80 ERA in 12 starts.
He built a career and a life in Los Angeles, but injuries slowed Buehler in his final years, and the Dodgers let him walk after his title-winning heroics.
Buehler faced the Dodgers for the first time last season at Fenway Park, and he didn't get through the fifth inning of a start that went just about as poorly as most of his tenure for the Red Sox, who released him less than a month later. After a brief stint with Philadelphia, he signed with San Diego last February.
“I think the first one in Boston was a lot bigger emotional load, for lack of a better word,” Buehler said. “It’s a team in our division. I’m going to have to pitch against them, and it was good to get the first one in this uniform at home, and we’ll see what happens on the road. I haven’t thrown at Dodger Stadium yet, which will be kind of a different thing, but (it's) nice to have something to fall back on in terms of having some success.”
Buehler (5-3) has regained his footing with the Padres, allowing just five runs over five starts and 26 1/3 total innings in an excellent June. He has improbably become the most reliable starter in San Diego's injury-affected rotation.
The Padres are getting success from Buehler by not overextending the 31-year-old pitcher with two Tommy John surgeries behind him. He has yet to record an out in the seventh inning, but San Diego's superb bullpen has allowed Buehler to feel better about his new role.
“I think I’ve changed from trying to throw 120 pitches and owning the game to just kind of trying to get through the five, six innings and hand it off to our bullpen,” Buehler said. “Obviously we have a lot of super-talented guys back there, so I feel good about it.”
Buehler still wasn't particularly happy when manager Craig Stammen came out to get him in the sixth after just 74 pitches against the Dodgers, but that bullpen came through with 3 2/3 innings of scoreless, four-hit ball that included escapes from two bases-loaded jams.
“In the moment, he likes to let me know he’s not happy on the mound,” Stammen said. “And then when I get back to the dugout, he’s already cooled off. So he’s handled it really well. He’s been a very professional pitcher in that regard. He knows that he’s pitching well and he can get a lot of guys out, but he also knows we’ve got a really good bullpen that can finish a game and get him a win.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
San Diego Padres' Walker Buehler follows through on a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
San Diego Padres' Walker Buehler looks on after being relieved in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, June 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
'"San Diego Padres' Walker Buehler follows through on a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
