Royals 2, White Sox 1: Norichika Aoki singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth as Kansas City edged host Chicago to take the rubber match of a three-game set.

Mike Moustakas led off the ninth with a single off Zach Putnam (3-2) and moved to second on Alcides Escobar’s sacrifice. Aoki followed with a single into short center and Adam Eaton made a perfect throw to the plate that beat Moustakas, but the ball came loose as catcher Tyler Flowers tried to apply the tag.

Wade Davis (6-2) picked up the win after a perfect inning in relief of James Shields, who allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 26th save and Alex Gordon had three hits for the Royals, who have won back-to-back games after dropping their previous four.

Kansas City loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth but left-hander Eric Surkamp came on and got pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez to fly out to center and end the threat. Flowers had a pair of hits and Adam Dunn singled in a run for the White Sox.

Lorenzo Cain led off the game with a ground-rule double and moved up on a sacrifice bunt before coming in on Eric Hosmer’s sacrifice fly to center. Chicago got that run back in the bottom of the frame when Jose Abreu doubled with two outs and came in on Dunn’s single to center.

GAME NOTEBOOK: White Sox starter Jose Quintana allowed a run on seven hits in as many innings. … Hosmer (bruised right hand) returned after missing the first two games of the series and went 0-for-2 to end his career-best hitting streak at 16 games. … The Royals return home to open a four-game series against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday while Chicago heads to Minnesota to start a seven-game road trip.