CHICAGO -- About the only pitch that Chris Sale wouldnt make Monday night was his case for the American Leagues Cy Young Award. Then again, if he keeps pitching like he has so far this season, he wont have to say much. Sale pitched seven effective innings in his first outing since the All-Star break and Adam Dunn had two RBIs and scored a run to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 3-1 victory over the slumping Kansas City Royals on Monday night. Sale (9-1) wasnt at his best, allowing seven hits and a walk in seven innings, but he worked out of jams in the fourth and sixth innings. He struck out eight and now has allowed three runs or less in 14 of his 15 starts this season. Those certainly appear to be Cy Young-worthy numbers, right? "Like Ive always said, I dont pay too much attention to that," Sale said. "I have a job to do and I have to focus on doing that and playing games. Were right in the hunt right now, so these are the dog days and you have to bear down now. Nows not the time to be thinking about yourself or some trophy or whatever." Chicago manager Robin Ventura, though, didnt hesitate to respond when asked if Sale was a legitimate candidate for the award despite missing a month earlier in the season. "Oh, yeah, absolutely," Ventura said. "Theres no reason why he shouldnt be in the discussion. I dont care if he missed a month or not. Hes good." Dunn went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks as the White Sox for the third time in four games since the break. Danny Valencia went 1-for-2 with a RBI for Kansas City, which has dropped four straight and seven of eight. The Royals had a team meeting before the game, but couldnt turn around their fortunes as they dropped two games below .500 (48-50). Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (5-9) gave up three runs on five hits in six innings to get the loss. He had been 4-0 against the White Sox with the Royals before Monday. "I thought Guthrie threw the ball all right," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "The first inning they had some well-placed groundballs. He was a little off command-wise in the first inning. Ended up hitting two guys by mistake but still kind of limited the damage there." The White Sox took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as the first four batters reached base and then Dunn singled up the middle against the shift -- essentially hitting the ball to the normal shortstop position -- to score both Adam Eaton and Alexei Ramirez. The Royals trimmed the lead in half in the fourth. Alex Gordon singled with one out, stole second and then scored on a two-out single by Valencia. The next batter, Alcides Escobar, doubled down the left-field line, but Valencia was nailed at the plate as left-fielder Alejandro De Aza and Ramirez got the ball to catcher Tyler Flowers for the putout to end the inning. "Thats huge," Sale said of the play at the plate. "Thats a game-changer, a game saver, just gives us momentum. It was awesome." The White Sox regained the two-run edge in the sixth as Dunn scored on a sacrifice fly by Gordon Beckham to make it 3-1. That was plenty of a cushion for Sale, who has allowed a total of three runs in 23 ? innings in his last three starts. Ronald Belisario pitched and eighth and Jake Petricka worked the ninth for his fourth save. "I think Im just trying to get better day in and day out," Sale said. NOTES: Royals 1B Eric Hosmer was scratched about an hour before game time with a right hand contusion. He was hit on the hand with a pitch by Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester in Sundays game at Fenway Park. . White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper is suffering from vertigo and missed a second straight game on Monday. Bullpen coach Bobby Thigpen took his place. ... K.C.s Salvador Perez was back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday with a groin strain. He originally was going to catch but switched to DH when Hosmer was scratched. "He feels much better," manager Ned Yost said. "Hes not a speed demon to begin with. Its still probably going to affect him a little bit running, but he can catch and swing and do everything else." ... Abreu doubled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. ... LHP Bruce Chen (1-2) takes on Scott Carroll (4-5) in the second game of the series. Air Max 90 Free Shipping .Y. -- Cory Schneider has to make the most of his opportunities to guard the New Jersey Devils net to earn more playing time. Buy Air Max 90 Online . Austin does not believe the game-time temperature is going to be an advantage for either side heading into the Grey Cup. "We dont think about (the cold)," said Austin. "Im not even sure how you would determine an advantage. http://www.cheapairmax90canada.com/. Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Air Max 90 Canada Sale . Hoffman, the former star closer, will evaluate and help co-ordinate all pitchers at Double-A, Triple-A and the big league team. Byrnes says Hoffman "will be a key part of finishing the development of our younger pitchers. Cheap Air Max 90 Online . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings (3) - Early goal against was on the power play.Leeds head coach Steve Evans admits he is flattered to be linked with the vacant managerial position at Celtic, but insists he remains totally focused on his job at Elland Road. Celtic boss Ronny Deila announced on Wednesday he would be leaving at the end of the season after almost two years in the job.David Moyes, Neil Lennon and Roy Keane were immediately installed as front-runners for the post by bookmakers but backing for Glasgow-born Evans was noted throughout the day. Speaking at his news briefing ahead of Saturdays Sky Bet Championship trip to Hull, Evans, a lifelong Celtic fan, was asked if replacing Deila in the Parkhead hot seat was something he considered.I think it is flattering for any manager or head coach to be linked with any job, said the former Crawley and Rotherham boss.But you cant let it take any focus away from the job in hand. Our only focus is Hull City on Saturday and when we are finished with Hull, it will be Charlton. Deila stepping down from Celtic post at the end of the season Ive been a Celtic fan since I was two seconds old. Ill always be a Celtic fan. Celtic is an iconic football club but Leeds United is an iconic football club, so my real focus and only focus is representing this famous club.If I was offeredd a contract here at Leeds in the summer and Celtic wanted me, I would say no to Celtic.dddddddddddd Ive made no secret of the fact I want to be head coach at Leeds next season.The only job that appeals to me at the minute is being head coach of Leeds United and I wont get involved in any speculation about what may or may not be.I have had a remit here from the start of the season to make sure this club is not in a relegation fight with three or four games to go and with three games to go we have a real opportunity of being comfortably in the top 10. Moyes heads betting lists to replace Deila at Celtic Park But there is a lot of hard work to be done before then. We have to deal with Hull City, Charlton and Preston and that is the only focus.Former Everton manager Moyes, who labelled Celtic as one of the biggest clubs in the world, heads bookmakers lists ahead of ex-Hoops boss Lennon, who has already said he would be keen to return to the post, and Keane, who is looking for a return to club management. Also See: Leeds see off late Wolves surge Evans confident Cook will stay Leeds Utd video Leeds Utd fixtures ' ' '