KANSAS CITY (AP) - Eric Hosmer had three hits and doubled in the winning run in the ninth inning to lift Kansas City to a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night that extended the Royals' winning streak to six games.
Hosmer's liner over the head of left fielder Juan Pierre scored Alex Gordon, who led off the inning with a single. After Miguel Cabrera's sacrifice bunt moved Gordon to second, Billy Butler was walked intentionally.
It was the Royals' 12th walk-off victory this season.
Greg Holland (5-1) worked the ninth to pick up the victory. Matt Thornton (1-5) took the loss in the White Sox' sixth straight defeat.
Mike Moustakas and Jeff Francoeur each had three hits and drove in two runs for the Royals.
The last time the Royals won six consecutive games was May 2-7, 2009.
Moustakas, who a minor league-leading 36 home runs last year, hit Philip Humber's 2-1 pitch into the right-field bullpen for his third home run with Francoeur aboard in the fourth. After going 281 at-bats without a home run, Moustakas has hit two in his past three games.
Francoeur singled home Butler in the first and Hosmer in the fourth. Francoeur led off the sixth with a single, advanced to third on Moustakas' single and scored on Johnny Giavotella's fielder's choice grounder. Butler drove in Alex Gordon with a first-inning single.
Royals starter Felipe Paulino allowed three runs on seven hits, while walking three and striking out three. He left with a 6-3 lead that the bullpen failed to hold.
Humber, who was 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in his previous three starts, gave up six runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out four in six innings in a no-decision. That matched the most runs Humber had permitted this year.
A.J. Pierzynski, who had three hits Thursday, drove in two of the White Sox' runs with a sacrifice fly in the first and a single in the seventh.
The White Sox tied it at 6 in the eighth on Brent Morel's two-run homer off Royals rookie left-hander Tim Collins.
Alexi Ramirez had three singles and drove in a run in the fifth for the White Sox.
Notes: White Sox DH Adam Dunn is 3-for-84 against left-handers, a .036 average. He has struck out 161 times, which is the second highest total in franchise history. Dave Nicholson holds the club record with 175 in 1963. ... The Royals have four players with 80 or more RBI - Francoeur 80, Butler 89, Gordon 85 and Cabrera 82 - to match a club record. It was the fifth time in franchise history they had four players drive in 80 runs. They last accomplished that in 2002 with Carlos Beltran, Raul Ibanez, Mike Sweeney and Joe Randa. ... White Sox rookie RHP Zach Stewart will make his 10th start of the season tonight. Rookie LHP Everett Teaford will make his second big league start tonight. He threw five scoreless innings Sunday to win at Seattle.