CHICAGO (Interstat) — Jacob Gonzalez’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Chicago White Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday evening at Guaranteed Rate Field, snapping a modest two-game skid and giving the White Sox their second straight win over the Royals.

The game was a crisp, pitchers’ duel that lasted 2 hours, 27 minutes in front of 28,569 fans. It was a stark contrast to the previous night’s 22-1 blowout in which the White Sox pounded out 22 runs on 23 hits. This time, both starting pitchers delivered strong outings, but the Royals’ bullpen faltered just enough in the final frame.

Kansas City starter Michael Wacha was brilliant, working 7 2/3 innings and allowing only one earned run on six hits while striking out seven. He left after giving up a single to Sam Antonacci and a walk to Miguel Vargas in the eighth, but reliever John Schreiber escaped the jam by inducing a groundout from Randal Grichuk. Wacha’s performance was a bright spot for a Royals team that has lost four of its past five games and fell to 34-50 on the season.

Chicago starter Davis Martin was equally effective, limiting Kansas City to four hits over 5 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out three. Martin, who had struggled in his previous outing against the New York Yankees (3 1/3 IP, 9 ER), rebounded with a command of the strike zone. He exited after walking Michael Massey with one out in the sixth, and Sean Newcomb finished the inning without damage.

The game remained scoreless through six innings, with both teams stranding runners in scoring position. The Royals had a prime opportunity in the second when Michael Massey singled and Salvador Perez doubled, putting runners at second and third with one out, but John Rave struck out and Nick Loftin struck out swinging to end the threat.

Kansas City broke the deadlock in the seventh. Massey led off with a bunt single off Newcomb, and Tyler Tolbert, pinch-running for Massey, stole third. Starling Marte walked, and after Nick Loftin reached on a fielder’s choice that resulted in Tolbert being thrown out at home, Isaac Collins walked to load the bases. Carter Jensen then lined a single to right field, scoring Marte, but Loftin was thrown out at the plate on a strong relay from right fielder Braden Montgomery to catcher Drew Romo to third baseman Miguel Vargas, limiting the inning to one run.

The White Sox answered immediately in the bottom of the seventh. Luisangel Acuña, who entered as a pinch-runner, moved to third on a single by Chase Meidroth off Wacha. Braden Montgomery then grounded into a force out that allowed Acuña to score, tying the game at 1-1. The inning ended when Tristan Peters struck out.

After a quiet eighth inning for both sides, the game moved to the ninth tied. Kansas City went down in order against White Sox reliever Grant Taylor, who struck out two of the three batters he faced and finished with four strikeouts over two perfect innings. Taylor earned his third win of the season.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Royals turned to left-hander Daniel Lynch IV, the fourth Kansas City pitcher. Colson Montgomery greeted him with a single to left. Chase Meidroth followed with a single to left, and Braden Montgomery laid down a bunt single toward the mound, loading the bases with no outs. After Junior Perez struck out, Gonzalez stepped to the plate and ripped a ground-ball single to left fielder Kameron Misner, scoring Colson Montgomery for the walk-off victory.

Lynch, who allowed three hits and one earned run in only one-third of an inning, took the loss, dropping to 2-2.

The White Sox improved to 43-38, while the Royals slipped to 34-50. Chicago has now won six of the eight head-to-head meetings between the clubs this season, including the last three in a row.

Key offensive contributors included Montgomery, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, and Gonzalez, who delivered the decisive hit. For Kansas City, Jensen drove in the only run and finished 1 for 4. Bobby Witt Jr. doubled in the sixth but was otherwise held to 1 for 4.

The loss extended a difficult stretch for Kansas City, which has dropped 12 of its last 15 games. The team will look to avoid a sweep Sunday afternoon before returning home to host Tampa Bay.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Chicago White Sox 5, Kansas City Royals 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Chi. White Sox with a 51.20 percent probability to win. Chi. White Sox had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 3 went over the over/under line of 8.