The Kansas City Royals rode a clutch performance from Salvador Perez and another masterful outing from their bullpen to edge the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Friday night. Perez delivered the decisive blow with a towering two-run homer in the third inning—his 19th of the season—while finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Bobby Witt Jr. continued his red-hot August, collecting two more hits, including a leadoff single that sparked Kansas City’s early rally. The Royals’ bullpen then slammed the door, with Carlos Estevez striking out the side in a dominant ninth to preserve the victory.

Chicago’s lone run came on Lenyn Sosa’s solo shot in the fourth, but Aaron Civale labored through six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out six. The White Sox managed just six hits total, with Miguel Vargas’ two knocks not enough to overcome Kansas City’s timely hitting. The win keeps the Royals in the thick of the playoff hunt, while the White Sox—now losers of three straight—face mounting pressure to turn their season around.