team flew to Los Angeles and his mother-in-law

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chris Sale knew he had to pitch his best Sunday with James Shields starting for the Kansas City Royals. "Indubitably, yes," Sale said. "You know what youre getting with a starter like James. You have to bear down and do it." Sale gave up four singles in eight scoreless innings as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Royals 5-1 in a pitching duel between top starters. Alexei Ramirez and Tyler Flowers each drove in a pair of runs as the White Sox won the series finale after dropping the first two games. Sale (2-0) struck out six and walked one. In his previous four starts against the Royals, the White Sox had backed him with one run, enough to beat James Shields 1-0 in the 2012 opener. "There was an energy to Chris coming off the mound," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "Big pitchers do that when you face up against a guy like Shields. He knows weve lost three in a row and hes going up against Shields and he wanted to go out and shut them down." Shields (0-1) took the loss in this one, too, giving up a run on five hits, striking out six, walking none and hitting two batters in seven innings. "What we saw out there today was two No. 1 starters that were at the top of their game," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Both of them had their A-game on the mound. Thats as good of stuff as Ive seen James Shields have. He had everything working, his fastball at 94-95, a great cutter, a great change, a great curveball. "Sale was right there with him. He has everything going. Both starters just pitched a great game, both of them." Ramirezs drove in the games first run in the seventh when Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar knocked down his grounder but had no play for Conor Gillaspie at home. Sale allowed a runner past second only in the third inning, when Lorenzo Cain and Omar Infante singled and Ramirez committed a throwing error. Sale wiggled out of trouble by retiring Danny Valencia on a pop up. Cain had two of the hits off Sale. The White Sox scored four runs in the ninth off Royals left-handed relievers Tim Collins and Francisley Bueno. The inning included a Flowers two-run single and an RBI double by Ramirez. Alex Gordon singled home Eric Hosmer in the ninth off Matt Lindstrom for the only Kansas City run. The Royals won their first replay challenge of the season when Marcus Semien was ruled safe at first, but it was overturned on a review that took 68 seconds. White Sox manager Robin Ventura challenged that Hosmer was out at first to complete a double play in the sixth, but replays indicated he was safe. Plate umpire Greg Gibson issued a warning to both benches in the sixth when Infante had to jump out of the way of Sales pitch way inside after Shields had hit two batters, including Jose Abreu in the top of the inning. "Im not trying to hit Abreu right there, theres no doubt it," Shields said. "Weve got a zero-zero ball game. Im not trying to put a runner on base. There was definitely no intent. I understand they are trying to protect their players over there, but in that situation Im not trying to hit him. I dont think theres any reason for any retaliation at all." Notes: White Sox 2B Gordon Beckham, who is on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, has been shut down after one game from a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Birmingham, still feeling tenderness when he swings. . The White Sox starting lineup Saturday included four Cuban-born players: C Adrian Nieto, RF Dayan Viciedo, SS Alexei Ramirez and Abreu. The last team to start four Cubans were the Indians on April 8, 1969 -- SS Zolio Versalles, RHP Luis Tiant, CF Jose Cardenal and C Joe Azcue. .The Royals will start LHP Jason Vargas against Tampa Bay on Monday, while the Rays probable is LHP Matt Moore. .The White Sox will start RHP Felipe Paulino for the series opener at Colorado. RHP Jordan Lyles will be the Rockies starter. Basketball Shoes Online Store Canada . Louis Cardinals for the National League Wild Card, are in the drivers seat as they open the final series of the regular season, but they face a large task in the form of the Philadelphia Phillies. Basketball Shoes Canada Sale . Listen to the Rangers vs. Kings live on TSN Radio starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. You can also stream the post-game press conferences live on TSN. http://www.cheapbasketballshoescanada.com/ . Algeria led 3-0 at halftime, but withstood a stronger South Korean second half performance to claim its first World Cup win since 1982 and move into second place in Group H with one match left to play. Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages. Cheap Basketball Shoes Wholesale . Winning more at home probably should be on the list. The Flames look to avoid a fifth defeat in six home games by winning a sixth straight meeting with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. Basketball Shoes For Sale Canada . Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes, the bandleader of the beard brigade during Bostons run to the 2013 World Series title, said he will be shaving his off before spring training so that he can file it "in the archive" with his memories of the teams improbable championship.PITTSBURGH -- Recovering from a stroke, Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang said his doctors have reassured him that hell be play hockey again. When that could happen is unclear. The 26-year-old Letang spoke to the media before the Penguins faced Montreal on Thursday night, the first time he has spoken to reporters since having the stroke on a West Coast trip before the Olympic break. "Im targeting it day-by-day," Letang said. "Im trying to improve every day I come here. I try to exercise the best I can. I see doctors pretty much every week, twice a week to get better. So well go from there." Doctors are treating Letang with blood thinners and he has been doing light exercises without weights. "(Doctors) said being 26 and having a stroke, its actually a small percentage, but the chance that I get back to normal is really high," Letang said. "Well take the decision from there, but for now, were keeping like this. ... Im going day-by-day to get to 100 per cent," Letang said. "I feel like Im trying to make steps and getting closer to coming back at one point." The last month has been particularly difficult for his family. "When you see your mom crying or your wife, any of my family members, its always a tough thing to handle," Letang said. "Everbody is really careful, like I cant even lift the lluggage without them trying to help me out.dddddddddddd Otherwise its just been mentally tough a little bit." Letang said his wife found him on the ground the morning before the team flew to Los Angeles and his mother-in-law, who is a nurse and was also on the trip, took care of him. "I was not able to function," Letang said. "The day before I was totally fine, I was practicing. I woke up and didnt expect that would happen. I went in the car and went to Los Angeles and thought it would clear up but it never did." Letang, from Montreal, has 54 goals and 173 assists in 419 games in eight seasons with the Penguins. He signed a $58 million, eight-year contract extension last summer, but has been plagued by injuries this season, missing 19 games with an elbow infection and a lower-body injury before the stroke. Letangs most recent game was Jan. 27 against Buffalo. After being a Norris Trophy finalist last season, he has 10 goals -- matching a career high -- and 18 assists in 34 games for the Eastern Conference-leading Penguins. "Im not going to say its not a really good season for me," Letang said. "Two of (my injuries) were kind of bad luck, but honestly, if I have the chance to come back this year and play, its going to be great. I want to make sure I forget all about the three-quarters of the season I missed." ' ' '