Jose Abreu launched a 425-foot, two-run home run in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 19 games and give the Chicago White Sox a lead they would not relinquish as they beat the host Kansas City Royals 5-3 Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Abreu's streak is the longest in the majors this season and his 40 RBIs in 40 games lead the majors.

The White Sox (25-15) are guaranteed to enter Sunday still in first place in the American League Central as they improved to 8-1 against the Royals this season.

Lucas Giolito (4-2) earned the win, giving up three runs on five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out nine and didn't walk anyone.

Alex Colome picked up his ninth save in 10 chances.

Through three games of the four-game series, the Royals (14-26) have not led since the first inning of the first game. They took a 1-0 lead in the first inning Thursday, but the White Sox scored five in the second.

Kris Bubic (0-5) was the hard-luck loser for the Royals. He allowed five runs, but only two were earned. An error by Maikel Franco led to three unearned runs in the fifth. Bubic pitched a career-high seven innings, allowing four hits, striking out four and walking one.

Bubba Starling connected on his first home run in the third. Starling's last home run came Sept. 11, 2019, in Chicago against the White Sox.

The Royals' already thin lineup got thinner as Royals DH Jorge Soler left the game in the fourth after one at-bat, when he struck out swinging. Soler was removed with right oblique soreness. It's not a new injury. He came out of the game Wednesday and did not play Thursday with an oblique irritation. He was 0-for-5 Friday night.

After James McCann reached on Franco's error in the fifth leading off the inning, Bubic retired the next two batters. With the inning still going because of the error, Tim Anderson singled in McCann then scored on Yasmani Grandal's home run.

Giolito gave up back-to-back hits leading off the seventh, a single by Ryan O'Hearn and an RBI double by Franco, ending his night. Adalberto Mondesi drove in Franco for the Royals' third run.

--Field Level Media