White Sox Sweep Royals on Conor Gillaspie's 12th-Inning Homer; Jose Tabata Leads Pittsburgh Over San Francisco

Players of the Day for Thursday, August 22, 2013

American League

Conor Gillaspie

When it's late August, you're the home team, and you're playing the last-place team in your division while you are in the heat of a pennant race, the thing not to do is get swept in a three-game series, but, that's exactly what the kansas City Royals did, losing their third straight - and fifth straight overall - to the White Sox.

The 4-3, 12-inning final was capped off in the top of the last inning, when Conor Gillaspie, the White Sox's rookie third baseman, socked his 12th home run of the season, a solo shot that landed in the seats beyond right field in Kauffman Stadium.

In the seventh inning, Gillaspie singled and scored the tying run. He was 2-for-5 for the game.

The Royals failed to score in the bottom of the 12th. A thumbs up to the six Chicago relievers who held the Royals scoreless on two hits over the final five innings.

The Royals are 9 1/2 out in the AL Central and seven back of Oakland for the second wild card spot. The 52-74 White Sox have won six straight.

National League

Jose Tabata

Opening a four-game series with the Giants in San Francisco, with a 10-5 victory, the Pittsburgh Pirates continued to cling to their slim lead over the relentless Cardinals and Reds.

Jose Tabata led the Pirates with a 3-for-4 effort, scoring twice and driving in three runs with two singles and a double from his leadoff position in the order.

Tabata got things started for Pittsbugh with a first-inning single, scoring on Andrew McCutchen's single later in the inning. Pittsburgh scored two more in the second off solo home runs by Garrett Jones and Jordy Mercer, but the Giants tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the third and two more in the fourth.

Pittsburgh put the game away in the fifth, when they sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs. Tabata led off the inning at first base after being plunked by Giants' hurler, Guillermo Moscoso, scoring the first run of the inning and driving in the last two with a two-out double.

Pittsburgh maintained their one-game lead over St. Louis and the 2 1/2 game bulge over the Reds, both winners on Thursday.

The Giants host the Pirates in game two of the series, Friday night at 7:15 PDT.

Today's Trivia: Which of these three players did NOT reach 3000 hits in his career: Lou Brock, Rickey Henderson or Barry Bonds? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Hank Aaron is third all-time in hits, with 3771, behind Ty Cobb (4189) and Pete Rose (4256).