Gil Meche had held the White Sox to one run and seven hits in seven innings, walking none and striking out six. He threw 91 pitches but was replaced by Farnsworth to start the eighth.

Hillman left Farnsworth in to face left-handed slugger Jim Thome with two runners on base, although left-hander Ron Mahay was warming up in the bullpen.

"Soon as he struck (Carlos) Quentin out, I sat Mahay down because I was planning if Kyle was throwing strikes to leave him in," Hillman said. "Ronnie has never been a left-handed specialist."

Farnsworth, however, has a proclivity for giving up home runs, and Thome has an appetite for the long ball. Thome slugged a full-count fastball over the center field fence as the White Sox pulled out a 4-2 victory. It was Thome's 43rd home run against the Royals, which is the most by any opposing batter in franchise history.

"More timely hitting and better location of one pitch and it might have been a different story," Hillman said. "I saw a lot of good things today, but the way it ended ... sure, you hope that you can hold onto a one-run lead. Professional hitter got a pitch that was left over the plate a little too much. It's a matter of location, not necessarily the pitch or the velocity. It's just where he left it."

WHITE SOX 4, ROYALS 2: Jim Thome deserves much of the credit for lifting Chicago to a win Tuesday. But Kansas City's offense deserves much of the blame for the defeat. The Royals left 11 runners on base. Billy Butler stranded five, and Mike Jacobs stranded four.