White Sox 6, Royals 5: Derek Hill’s Pinch-Hit Homer Lifts Chicago to Third Straight Win

It wasn’t all easy. The game eventually wound back up, knotted at 5-5, after the Sox bullpen opened the door for Kansas City. However, with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Hill stepped in as a pinch-hitter and crushed a solo home run off Matt Strahm, giving Chicago a 6-5 lead they would not relinquish.

Hill’s home run was his third of the 2026 season. After the game, he reflected on how things have gone thus far for the new-look White Sox, and this is definitely a quote all White Sox fans should read:

With the win, the White Sox improved to 20–21 on the season. Erick Fedde started and pitched well, but the bullpen was tested late. Grant Taylor and Seranthony Dominguez were both called on earlier than many would have liked, but Bryan Hudson closed the door in the ninth with his 19th consecutive scoreless inning to secure a White Sox victory.

The win marks the White Sox third in a row after taking the final two of three from the Mariners and now winning the opener of this series against the Royals. With Munetaka Murakami maintaining his torrid home run pace, young contributors like Meidroth, Antonnaci, and Hill delivering in clutch situations, and Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas adding more power, the offense is showing encouraging early-season signs. The pitching staff has been getting the job done. People are starting to notice the White Sox.