KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jeremy Guthrie flirted with a no-hitter, Salvador Perez drove in three runs and the Royals completed a three-game series sweep of the AL Central-leading White Sox with a 5-2 win in Kansas City, Mo., on Sunday afternoon.

Paul Konerko reached on an infield single with two outs in the seventh for Chicago's first hit. Shortstop Alcides Escobar fielded Konerko's grounder on the outfield grass and his one-hop throw was dropped by first baseman Eric Hosmer.

Official scorer Del Black ruled it a hit and the Kauffman Stadium crowd of 22,401 loudly booed when the "H'' was flashed on the scoreboard.

Guthrie allowed two unearned runs and three hits in 7 2/3 innings. Greg Holland (6-3) retired the final four batters to pick up the victory.

Perez hit a tiebreaking RBI single off Jesse Crain (2-2) in the eighth inning.

Reds 5, Cubs 4: Xavier Paul led off the ninth inning with a pinch-hit triple and Ryan Hanigan followed with a single, giving the Reds the win over the Cubs in Cincinnati.

Paul lined the first pitch from Shawn Camp (3-6) over first base into the right-field corner. Hanigan hit the next pitch to left-center over the drawn-in Chicago outfield.

The NL Central-leading Reds took three out of four from the Cubs and finished a 5-2 homestand.

Aroldis Chapman (5-4) struck out two in the ninth. Brett Jackson doubled with one out, but was caught trying to steal third.

 

Pirates 6, Cardinals 3, 19 inn.: Pedro Alvarez homered in the 19th inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates won the longest game in the majors this season, outlasting the Cardinals in St. Louis.