Sox lose ROAD FIELD ADVANTAGE as Chen continues dominance.Royals win 5-1

Alex Rios stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the first inning. Having notched four multi-hit performances in six road games, this was his chance to show the home crowd he had turned the corner in what has been a miserable season. Rios hit a lazy fly to right field to strand all three runners, a microcosm of ineptitude at U.S. Cellular Field this year.The embattled center fielder came to the plate in the same situation two innings later, producing the same result.The White Sox left 10 men on base and were baffled by Bruce Chen for the third time this season as the Kansas City Royals won 5-1 on Friday night. “Same old movie,” Ozzie Guillen said. “We made him work a little bit today, better than the last time we faced him. But to still go out of the game with one hit … I’m not going to take away any credit. This kid went out and pitched well against us.” Chen (7-5) pitched six innings of one-hit ball to improve to 2-0 against the White Sox in three starts this season. He has given up just two runs on nine hits over 20 innings (0.90 ERA). The lefty has a 5.03 ERA in 13 starts against the rest of the major leagues. A.J. Pierzynski was hit by a pitch on the left wrist in the third inning and was removed after the fourth. X-rays were negative and he’s considered day-to-day. “It’s sore,” he said. “It could have been worse. Luckily, there’s no fracture or anything in there. It’s sore and we will see how it feels tomorrow.” Rios was responsible for seven of the 10 runners left on base. After going 9 for 22 over a five-day span, Rios is hitless in his last nine at-bats.The White Sox fell to 24-33 at home, the worst mark among AL teams.Billy Butler and Melky Cabrera homered to lead the Royals. Butler homered in the sixth and had an RBI single in the first. Cabrera broke the game open with a three-run homer in the ninth.Alex Gordon singled, doubled, walked twice, scored a run, stole a base and reached on catcher’s interference for the Royals, who snapped a four-game losing streak.Rookie Zach Stewart (1-2) pitched well in his White Sox home debut. He held the Royals to two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings despite allowing the first four batters of the game to reach base.Juan Pierre had an RBI single, driving in the Sox only run in the ninth, and walked twice. Paul Konerko singled, extending his hitting streak to nine games, and walked twice. The White Sox had just three hits in the game but still managed to strand 10 runners.The White Sox have lost seven straight at U.S. Cellular Field and 13 of their last 17. They fell five games behind Detroit in the AL Central.Rios ended both the first and third by flying out with the bases loaded. Rios, who entered the game hitting .170 in 94 at-bats with runners in scoring position, was loudly booed after each plate appearance. NOTES—Sox OF Alejandro De Aza took groundballs at first base during pregame drills. Manager Ozzie Guillen said that if Adam Dunn continues to struggle, De Aza gives him another first base option against right-handed pitching. … Jake Peavy will start on Saturday against Kansas City’s Luke Hochevar. Hochevar is 4-0 over his last eight starts, with the Royals going 7-1 in those games. Peavy has dropped four of his last five decisions. …A.J. Pierzynski had to leave the game after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch in the third. X-rays on the injury were negative and he’s listed as day-to-day. … Carlos Quentin was hit by a pitch in the first inning. It was the 23rd hit by pitch for Quentin this season, tying a White Sox record set by Minnie Minoso in 1956.