KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Right-hander Davis Martin gave the White Sox a chance to win in his major-league debut.
But a Sox lineup without Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu, who were rested, looked like it had no chance against Brady Singer in a 2-1 loss to the Royals on Tuesday night.
Selected from Triple-A Charlotte to start the second game of a split doubleheader, Martin pitched five innings of one-run ball and struck out seven, allowing five hits and one walk.
“The fun part is getting out there and seeing if your stuff plays at the highest level,” Martin said.
MJ Melendez’s first career home run against left-hander Tanner Banks gave the Royals and Singer (1-0, 2.84 ERA) a 2-0 lead. After Singer had a career-high nine strikeouts and allowed only four hits in seven innings, the Sox got something going against reliever Collin Snider in the eighth. AJ Pollock doubled and scored on Adam Engel’s check-swing roller to second. Josh Harrison tried to score the tying run on Yoan Moncada’s single but was thrown out by left fielder Andrew Benintendi, preserving the Royals’ lead.
With Harrison arriving at third at the same time Benintendi got the ball, it was a risky send by third-base coach Joe McEwing with Luis Robert due up, but the right one with two outs, manager Tony La Russa said.
“He had to make a perfect throw, and sometimes you live and die with that,” Harrison said. “I’m aggressive. Joe’s aggressive. We’re an aggressive team. I’m not ever looking to be shut down. We run until we are told to stop.”
Martin, 26, was not on the Sox’ radar of top prospects during spring training, but he was 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 36 innings in seven starts between Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham in 2022.
“He was impressive,” La Russa said. “He has a right to feel good and look at his big-league future sooner rather than later.”
Giolito returns
Lucas Giolito will come off the COVID-19 injured list to start the fourth game of the five-game series Wednesday.
“I’m glad to be feeling 100% and back now,” said Giolito, who rejoined the team at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday morning.
It was a second bout with the coronavirus for Giolito, who also had it during the winter. He felt symptoms last Wednesday after arriving at Guaranteed Rate Field the morning after making his most recent start against the Guardians.
“I had body aches and stuff in the mornings and at night,’’ he said. ‘‘It was just two days of pretty bad.’’
Vince Velasquez will pitch the finale of the series Thursday.
Kopech on paternity list
Michael Kopech went on the paternity list but isn’t expected to miss his scheduled start Saturday against the Yankees in New York. Dallas Keuchel is slated to start the series opener Friday, and Dylan Cease or Johnny Cueto will start Sunday, La Russa said.
This and that
Right-hander Kyle Crick, who pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in Game 2, was returned to Charlotte after being added as the 27th player for the doubleheader.
† Lance Lynn is slated to pitch to hitters in New York on Friday. He is nearing a minor-league rehab assignment, with a targeted return to the team in early June.
