Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Bonifacio homers, drives in three vs. White Sox

Guthrie allows three runs in debut; Hochevar throws two scoreless in relief

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- During four starts against the White Sox in 2012, Kansas City starter Jeremy Guthrie allowed just one earned run over 29 2/3 innings.

The White Sox topped that paltry total in the first four batters of Monday's 9-7 victory over the Royals at Camelback Ranch.

Of course, this is early in Spring Training, when starting pitchers are building up their pitch total and often working on certain pitches in the course of a game. But any solid contact for the White Sox against Guthrie always is a positive.

Alejandro De Aza opened the game with a single to center and moved to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run single to right by Marcus Semien. After Avisail Garcia lined out to shortstop Jason Donald, Andy Wilkins connected on a long three-run shot to right. Paul Konerko lined out to right and Jordan Danks doubled to center, before Matt Davidson struck out swinging to end the first.

Guthrie worked a perfect second, giving up three runs on four hits, while striking out one and not issuing a walk. Guthrie also thought he executed good pitches on the first two hits of the first inning.

"And the home run was the guy putting a good swing on a 2-1 changeup that caught the middle of the plate, it stayed up and he knocked it out of the ballpark," Guthrie said. "So I think one pitch wasn't executed in the inning and it cost you three runs and that's what happens in baseball. The next inning I probably didn't execute two or three pitches and got three outs."

Jorge Bonifacio hit his first spring homer in the eighth, a two-run shot that made it 9-7.

Jose Quintana made his 2014 Cactus League debut by working three innings against the American League Central rival. Quintana struck out Lorenzo Cain during a perfect first but allowed a pair of two-out runs in the second, courtesy of Johnny Giavotella's triple and the first of Jarrod Dyson's two RBI singles. Quintana exited having struck out one and walking two.

"I feel really good with my fastball, in and out," Quintana said. "My curve and changeup were working good. I have two good innings. One inning I feel a little uncomfortable but I felt really good."

Kansas City tied the game at 3-3 with one run in the fourth and took the lead with two in the sixth off of reliever Chris Bassitt. Bonifacio and Cain picked up run-scoring hits.

Reliever Luke Hochevar worked two scoreless innings for the Royals, striking out two. Konerko, Danks, Wilkins, Donald, Dyson and Cain turned in multi-hit efforts, with the White Sox scoring four in the sixth off of reliever Tim Collins on four hits and an error after two were out. Hector Gimenez delivered the two-run, go-ahead double, with three of the runs being unearned.

Conor Gillaspie doubled home two more runs in the seventh to make it 9-5.

Up next: Left-hander Danny Duffy, who backed up starter Bruce Chen in the Royals' first Cactus League game, will start against the Reds at 2:05 p.m. CT on Tuesday at Surprise Stadium. This time, Chen will follow Duffy, who is a candidate for the fifth rotation spot. Also scheduled to pitch are closer Greg Holland, Kelvin Herrera, Jon Rauch and Sugar Ray Marimon. The Reds' probable starter is Johnny Cueto.

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin.
Read More: Kansas City Royals, Jeremy Guthrie, Jorge Bonifacio, Lorenzo Cain, Jarrod Dyson, Danny Duffy