Garcia leads White Sox past Royals in suspended game

CHICAGO (AP) The White Sox signed David Robertson to pitch the ninth inning for them.

This, of course, was a bit unusual.

Robertson was on the mound when Chicago resumed a suspended game against Kansas City and got the win when Avisail Garcia's tiebreaking RBI single lifted the White Sox to a 3-2 victory over the Royals on Sunday.

''Any time you resume a game, it's weird,'' White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. ''It has a weird feeling. Guys starting the game, I'm sure it's uncomfortable for them. For us, it's good to get a win and get it started like this.''

Robertson (2-0) struck out the side while working around a two-out error by first baseman Jose Abreu that allowed Kendrys Morales to reach. The closer has retired 19 of his past 20 batters.

''It's no different for me. I went out of the bullpen, threw my normal little warmups and just came in,'' said Robertson, who signed a $46 million, four-year contract with Chicago over the winter. ''The only thing different is standing in the dugout and coming out. It's like you're going out for a second inning.''

Melky Cabrera sparked the winning rally with a two-out walk against Kelvin Herrera (0-1). He advanced to second on a wild pitch, and Abreu was walked intentionally before Garcia dumped a single into left for his first career game-ending hit. It also was Chicago's first victory in five games this season against Kansas City.

The White Sox and Royals were tied at 2 when Friday night's game was suspended by rain after eight innings.

Paulo Orlando went 3 for 3 for Kansas City, which had won four of five. Danny Duffy pitched 5 1-3 innings and was charged with an unearned run and six hits.

White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, bouncing back from a rough outing in his previous start. He was tagged for nine runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings of 9-1 loss at Detroit last Sunday.

The Royals and White Sox returned to the field for the first time since Major League Baseball handed down seven suspensions for Thursday night's brawl. The resumption of the suspended game and Saturday's regularly scheduled matchup also were rained out.

''I think we got all our emotions out that night and I think it's over and done with,'' Kansas City outfielder Lorenzo Cain said Sunday. ''I think we're going to try to go out here and go back to just playing baseball and leave it at that.''

The tension between the AL Central rivals boiled over in the seventh inning of the series opener. Kansas City pitcher Yordano Ventura fielded a grounder from Chicago outfielder Adam Eaton and the two exchanged words before Eaton was thrown out at first. Eaton had to be restrained from Ventura, who was ejected from his second straight start.

Players from both dugouts and bullpens then ran onto the field, and there were several punches thrown in a melee that lasted several minutes.

Ventura received a seven-game suspension, fellow starter Edinson Volquez was given five games and Cain and reliever Kelvin Herrera got two games apiece. White Sox pitchers Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija were suspended for five games apiece, and catcher Tyler Flowers escaped suspension but joined the others in getting an undisclosed fine.

Chicago reliever Matt Albers broke his pinkie finger on his right hand in the brawl and was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday. The White Sox also promoted right-hander Scott Carroll from Triple-A Charlotte and designated left-hander Eric Surkamp for assignment.

''It's a little frustrating, a little disappointing that it happened like that,'' Albers said. ''But just got to kind of roll with it. Hopefully, it won't be too long.''

FOR THE RECORD

The Royals and White Sox will make up Saturday's rainout with a split-doubleheader on July 17.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: Asked if closer Greg Holland (strained right pectoral muscle) had been examined again, manager Ned Yost responded: ''Unless he played catch in the hotel lobby yesterday, I don't think he was re-evaluated.''

White Sox: Albers said he tried to played catch, but there was ''quite a bit of pain'' when he threw the ball.

UP NEXT

White Sox LHP John Danks (0-2, 6.06 ERA) and Royals RHP Edinson Volquez (2-1, 1.99 ERA) will meet in Sunday's regularly scheduled game. Danks is 7-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 17 starts against Kansas City, and Volquez has pitched at least seven innings in each of his first three starts with the Royals.

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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap