KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Paul Konerko returned to the lineup and homered in his second at-bat in an encouraging sign for the Chicago White Sox.

It just wasn't enough to get another victory for the AL Central leaders.

Chris Sale yielded a tiebreaking two-run double to Salvador Perez with two out in the seventh inning and the White Sox lost 4-2 to the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Konerko hit a solo drive in the fourth inning after being activated from the seven-day concussion disabled list. It was Konerko's first game since he was struck by a Jarrod Dyson elbow while covering first base on Aug. 7 against the Royals.

"I felt pretty good," Konerko said. "You don't expect the home run, of course, but I put some good swings on balls tonight. It felt good to get back out there. Even though I DH'd tonight I was still doing work to get ready, taking some swings in between (at-bats).

"When you take nine or ten days off it seems like a month, but I felt good."

Luis Mendoza pitched seven effective innings as Kansas City won for the third time in four games.

"He's got a good sinker and his curveball he can throw in there and it moves a lot," Konerko said.

Sale (14-4) allowed four runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings. The 6-foot-6 left-hander dropped to 11-2 with a 2.60 ERA in his last 15 starts.

Gordon Beckham hit a two-out RBI single in the fifth to give the White Sox a 2-1 lead, but Billy Butler belted a tying solo drive in the sixth for his 25th homer.

"He's swung the bat well against me," Sale said. "It's still my fault. I've got to go out and get them, no matter who it is. I have a job to do and I didn't do it."

Lorenzo Cain also had a solo homer in the second for Kansas City. Continued...