Davidson's 7th HR in KC lifts White Sox in 11th

Slugger's homers are most by visiting player at one park in a season prior to May 1

April 28th, 2018

KANSAS CITY -- Matt Davidson continued to demolish the Royals on Friday and then he got the royal treatment from his teammates.
Davidson kept up his home run rampage at Kauffman Stadium by launching a two-run homer in the 11th inning that boosted the White Sox to a 7-4 victory. Davidson's second homer of the game snapped a 4-4 deadlock and gave him seven in four games at Kauffman Stadium this season.
Davidson hit three homers here on Opening Day, two more on Thursday and another two on Friday. According to Elias, it's the most homers by a visiting player at one park in a season prior to May 1. The record for a season is 10 by Harry Heilmann in 1922 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.
Stay tuned. Davidson has six more games to play at Kauffman Stadium this year.

Davidson munched on a quick salad before his teammates circled around for a celebratory dousing.
"That was fun," Davidson said after the celebration. "We do that for everybody. First hits, first anything."

Before he arrived in Kansas City, Davidson hadn't homered since April 11. But he worked on a swing adjustment prior to the series opener and has gotten explosive results. Both of his homers on Friday were hit the other way by the right-handed batter.
"At this level, you don't expect that," Davidson said. "But it happened and we got the win. When I am using the middle of the field, I think that's when I am at my best."
Davidson's first homer traveled a projected 447 feet, according to Statcast™. The go-ahead blast went 411. It marked the first time any visiting player has hit as many as seven homers in Kansas City.
Acting manager Joe McEwing thoroughly enjoyed the Davidson show, as well as the resiliency shown by his club after the Royals drew even at 4 in the seventh.
"There were looks of 'I can't believe this is happening'," McEwing said. "Matty has had tremendous at-bats the last couple of days. He's seeing the ball well and hitting all different types of pitches to all fields."
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
A throwing error by shortstop Tim Anderson allowed the Royals to tie the game in the seventh and put the potential go-ahead run at second base. But the Chicago bullpen didn't give in and held Kansas City scoreless the rest of the way.

"These guys are so resilient," McEwing said. "We gave them a couple of opportunities with some defensive miscues, but they didn't allow it to get to them."
SOUND SMART
Starter Reynaldo Lopez, who allowed four runs (two earned) in 6 1/3 innings, still doesn't have a win. But his ERA is a glittering 1.78 over 30 1/3 innings.

HE SAID IT
"You try to celebrate these times. Right now, it really makes the tough times worth it." -- Davidson, on his seven-homer outburst in four games this year at Kauffman Stadium
UP NEXT
White Sox right-hander Carson Fulmer (1-1, 6.00 ERA) will get the ball for Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Royals at 1:15 p.m. CT. Fulmer allowed just two runs on three hits over a season-high six innings against the Mariners on Monday. He will face Trevor Oaks, who is making his Major League debut for Kansas City. Chicago has not announced its starter for the nightcap at 7:15.