KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Yordano Ventura pitched six solid innings before leaving with a thumb cramp, Alex Rios had a three-run homer among his three hits and the AL champion Kansas City Royals routed the Chicago White Sox 10-1 on Monday.
Ventura was replaced by Kelvin Herrera in the seventh after crumpling to the ground following a strike to Adam LaRoche. The preliminary report was a right thumb cramp. Ventura will be evaluated later this week, but Royals trainers said it is not believed to be serious.
Rios, who was making his Kansas City debut, homered in a five-run seventh with Kendrys Morales and Alex Gordon aboard. Gordon stroked a two-run single in the inning.
Jose Abreu homered in the seventh for Chicago.
White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who did not allow a run in 15 innings during a pair of opening-day starts with the Chicago Cubs the past two years, yielded five runs and six hits in six-plus innings. He walked three, hit two batters with pitches and threw a wild pitch.
After an exhilarating postseason run last year that ended with a Game 7 loss to San Francisco in the World Series, the Royals got off to a fast start in 2015.
Alcides Escobar and Mike Moustakas, their first two hitters, went a combined 4 for 7, plus two walks, and scored five runs. Moustakas homered the opposite way in the fifth off Samardzija.
Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless ninth for the Royals, his first big league appearance since Sept. 28, 2011.
TRAINER'S ROOM
White Sox: LHP Chris Sale, who broke his right foot Feb. 27, struck out seven and allowed a run on three hits in seven innings during a minor league game in Arizona. Sale is on target to come off the disabled list Sunday and start against Minnesota.
Royals: Gordon, who was limited to 10 exhibition games and hit just .200 in 35 at-bats following right wrist surgery in December, might be given periodic rests early in the season.
UP NEXT
White Sox: LHP Jose Quintana is 0-6 in 12 career starts against the Royals.
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy, who starts Wednesday, has not faced the White Sox since 2011 at Kansas City.
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