KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chris Sale got some unexpected help to get his 16th win.A rare Carlos Sanchez home run lifted Sale, who pitched his American League-leading sixth complete-game, and the Chicago White Sox to a 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.Sanchez had struck out in his first three at-bats before hitting a pitch from Kelvin Herrera out to right with J.D. Shuck and Avisail Garcia aboard.I threw my arms up in the air, Sale said when Sanchez homered. It was crazy. Thats your team fighting for you right there; thats your team fighting back. You know what Herrera brings to the table. Hes one of the best. You guys have seen it. So, to be able to put up a four spot in that inning was huge.It was Sanchezs first home run since last Sept. 21 at Detroit.Sanchez has been up and down this year and there have been times when he hasnt clicked, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. But, when he gets some playing time I think hes improved enough. Hes got enough pop. When hes hitting it well, itll carry. I think thats something thatll come with him. This is, I hope, the start of that for him in his career.Todd Frazier doubled with one out and scored on Alex Avilas single for the first run of the inning. The four-run inning, gave Sale a boost to finish the game.No doubt, Sale said. It changes the complete landscape of the game, obviously. Were down two, we scored one and hit a three-run homer. I just have to go out and not mess up too badly.Sale (16-8), 1-6 in his previous 11 starts, limited the Royals to four runs, three earned, while striking out 10 and walking one.Kansas City has lost five straight and will need a miracle to return to postseason after winning the past two American League championships.Herrera (2-5) blew his third save in 14 chances.I had trouble with my release point, Herrera said. It was a little off. I felt a little off with my command for some reason. This is a tough league.Ian Kennedy, who held the White Sox to one hit over six innings Sunday to beat Sale in a 2-0 win, threw 74 pitches in the first three innings, but made it through six, allowing two runs, five hits, three walks and a sacrifice fly. He retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.I had to talk my way into going out for the sixth inning just because the bullpen had been so taxed the last couple of days, Kennedy said. I wanted to stay in at least one more inning. It was a grind.Kennedy walked the bases loaded with none out in the second, but escaped by allowing just one run, with Frazier scoring on Leury Garcias grounder.Sale retired the first 13 batters he faced before giving up seven hits and four runs to the next 10 batters.Salvador Perezs single with one out in the fifth was the Royals first hit. Cheslor Cuthberts double moved Perez to third. Hunter Dozier, who was making his first major league start, had an infield single, scoring Perez, and Cuthbert raced home on shortstop Tyler Saladinos throwing error, to tie the score at 2.Billy Burns opened the Royals sixth with a bunt single and scored when Whit Merrifield drilled a triple to left-center. Kendrys Morales singled home Merrifield.Jose Abreu, who singled in his first two at-bats for his 12th multi-hit game in his past 18 games, scored in the third on Fraziers sacrifice fly.Melky Cabrera homered in the ninth off Peter Moylan, while Saladino had three of the White Sox 11 hits.TEPESCH OUTRIGHTEDRHP Nick Tepesch, who was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and Royals sent him outright to Triple-A Omaha. Tepesch, who is a Missouri alumnus, is 7-15 in 35 games, including 33 starts, in the majors with the Rangers and Dodgers.TRAINERS ROOMWhite Sox: DH Justin Morneau missed his fourth straight game with a stiff neck.Royals: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (right biceps tendinitis) said his arm feels good after throwing two bullpen sessions. He was scheduled to throw batting practice Friday, but a pregame rain canceled that.UP NEXTWhite Sox: RHP Miguel Gonzalez, who is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two September starts, will start Saturday.Royals: LHP Jason Vargas makes his first start since July 21, 2015, and rehabbing from reconstructive elbow surgery. Fake Blackhawks Jerseys . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Chicago Blackhawks Pro Shop . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/ . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Blackhawks Jerseys 2021 . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. Stitched Blackhawks Jerseys . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. LOS ANGELES -- Candace Parker scored 20 points and the Los Angeles Sparks cruised past the Chicago Sky 99-84 on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 WNBA semifinals.League sixth woman of the year Jantel Lavender added 20 points, league MVP Nneka Ogwumike had 18, Kristi Toliver 17 and Essence Carson 11 in the Sparks return to their home court at Staples Center. They won Game 1 by 20 points in Long Beach on Wednesday.Parker added 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Sparks, who shot 54 percent from the field. She and Ogwumike sat down with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.Toliver hit four of the Sparks 10 3-pointers. The Sky were 3 of 13 from long-range.Reserve Clarissa Dos Santos scored 15 points and Jamierra Faulkner added 14 off the bench for the Sky. Cappie Pondexter had 13.Chicago rallied to close within 10 after trailing by 21 early in the third, led by Courtney Vandersloot and Tamera Young, who finished with 12.The Sparks recovered, going on a 10-1 run that extended their lead to 78-59 going into the fourth. Chelsea Gray had a three-point play and passed to a streaking Lavender, who converted on the fast break before hitting a 20-foot jumper herself.Just as in Game 1, the Sparks rode a big second quarter to a dominating lead. Two nights earlier, they scored 30 points in the period. This time, they outscored the Sky 29-15, including a 12-0 run to open thhe quarter.dddddddddddd The offensive load was distributed among four players: Carson had eight points, Ogwumike added seven, and Parker and Lavender had six each.TIP-INSThe Sparks improved to 5-0 against the Sky, including three regular-season victories. ... Sparks G Alana Beard and Ogwumike were named to the WNBAs All-Defensive first team. ... Brian Agler of the Sparks finished second to Minnesotas Cheryl Reeve in the voting for league coach of the year. ... Sparks co-owner Magic Johnson introduced Olympic track champion Allyson Felix to a standing ovation in the third, drawing a shy smile from the low-key Felix. ... Also on hand was Clippers All-Star Chris Paul, retired Lakers star Derek Fisher and Kiki Vandeweghe, the NBAs vice president of basketball operations.WHAT A SHOTToliver hit a 3-pointer that beat the buzzer to end the first quarter. Sandwiched between two defenders, she tossed up the ball from the left side while falling down, giving the Sparks a 28-27 lead after they had been outscored 11-2.STILL SIDELINEDSky star Elena Delle Donne watched in street clothes again because of a right thumb injury. She shared the league scoring title with New Yorks Tina Charles, averaging 21. 5 points.WHATS NEXTGame 3 is Sunday in Chicago. ' ' '