KANSAS CITY — Royals rookie left-hander Kris Bubic’s final line will read five runs allowed, including two home runs, and therefore might not look that impressive.

Actually, it was very impressive.

Bubic threw a career-high seven innings and gave up just four hits against the White Sox on Saturday night. And only two of the runs were earned.

But the Royals lost 5-3 and have now lost eight of nine games, including the first three of this series, to Chicago.

Bubic went with his two strengths — his fastball and changeup. Of his 106 pitches, 87 were either four-seamers or changeups. And Bubic got 26 called strikes or whiffs on those pitches.