Royals 1, White Sox 0
CHICAGO -- One run was plenty for Kansas City Royals right-hander Wade Davis.
Davis allowed four hits in 7 1/3 shutout innings and the Kansas City Royals topped the Chicago White Sox 1-0 on Saturday night.
Lorenzo Cain drove in what proved to be the winning run in the sixth inning as the Royals claimed the second game of the three-game weekend series.
Davis (5-9) broke a four-start losing streak as he struck out four and walked three on a crisp, fall-like night that featured game-time temperatures in the upper 50s.
He departed in the eighth in favor of right-handed reliever Louis Coleman after giving up a one-out single to Alejandro De Aza.
Kansas City survived a scary ninth as reliever Greg Holland had runners on first and third with one out but escaped for his 26th save.
White Sox starter Chris Sale (6-10) worked his first nine-inning game since May 12. He gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out seven in his fourth loss in his last five starts and his fewest runs allowed since early June.
The White Sox (40-61) fell 21 games below .500 for the first times since Sept. 25, 2007.
Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler each singled in the top of the sixth and Cain broke the scoreless tie with his double down the third base line, scoring Hosmer with one out.
The White Sox threatened in the sixth when De Aza singled and reached third when Adam Dunn was hit by a throw on the way to first base with two out. Paul Konerko then lined a long fly to center, hauled in by a sprinting Cain on the warning track.
Cain made another running catch in the seventh, hitting the wall while pulling in Jeff Keppinger's long fly. He later left the game as a precautionary measure with left groin tightness.
Each team threatened, but no runs were scored through five innings.
The Royals put runners on first and third with two out in the first, but Sale got out of trouble by striking out Cain.
Davis walked De Aza and Alexei Ramirez with two out in the third before Alex Rios flied to right to end the inning.
In the tifth, Miguel Tejada reached second base on Chris Getz's sacrifice bunt, but Kansas City leadoff batter Alex Gordon popped to short center for the third out.
NOTES: Royals RHP James Shields' victory on Friday was his first over the White Sox since a 2-1 decision on April 19, 2011, while with Tampa Bay. ... After Sunday's series finale, the Royals have seven more games with the White Sox, including a three games in Kansas City in August and four in Chicago in last September. ... DH Billy Butler entered the game two RBI short of tying Joe Randa for seventh on the Royals' career list (533). ... The Royals said no eligible player on the team's Hall of Fame ballot reached the 75 percent threshold for induction this year. Bo Jackson and John Wathan led balloting with 32.5 percent. ... Dunn's first-inning strikeout was his team-leading 117th of the season to tie for fourth in the American League. He walked in the fourth and tops the team with 51. ... Entering Saturday, DH Konerko needed two home runs to tie Cal Ripkin Jr. for 43rd place. ... Gordon Beckham started his second straight game at second base for the White Sox after missing five straight with a wrist ligament injury. ... The Royals send left-hander Jeff Chen (4-0, 1.97 ERA) against White Sox left-hander Hector Santiago (3-6, 3.38 ERA) in Sunday's series finale.
