The Chicago White Sox showcased their strength despite the absence of Munetaka Murakami, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Edgar Quero and Colson Montgomery hit solo home runs. Andrew Benintendi added a two-run homer, leading the Sox to a 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field, witnessed by 29,435 fans. All three home runs came late in the game, marking the Sox’s fourth consecutive win, pushing their record to 31-27, a season-high.
Manager Will Venable praised the team’s resilience. “When these guys create a culture where they bring a ton of energy, you hope that can sustain when you miss somebody and you have that built up,” Venable said. “These guys have done a great job of building that up, and I thought today was a great example of that where we continued to see the good effort, playing hard and playing with belief.”
Before the game, Murakami was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right hamstring strain, expected to be out for four to six weeks. Murakami leads the team with 20 home runs. The Sox exhibited diverse scoring methods. In the first inning, Tigers starter Framber Valdez struggled with control, aiding a two-run inning for the Sox. Chase Meidroth’s double led to opportunities as Miguel Vargas and Montgomery walked, loading the bases. Valdez threw a wild pitch, allowing Meidroth to score. Vargas scored shortly after on Quero’s sacrifice fly.
Detroit’s Wenceel Pérez hit a home run in the third inning, narrowing the gap to 2-1. However, starter Anthony Kay maintained control, allowing only that run over five-plus innings, giving up six hits, walking one, and striking out three. The Tigers threatened in the fourth and fifth innings, but Kay effectively managed to keep them scoreless with strategic groundballs.
Matt Vierling’s single in the sixth began an opportunity for Detroit when Randal Grichuk’s error placed runners at first and second with no outs. Reliever Grant Taylor then took command, recording a strikeout, a flyout, and a groundout to preserve the 2-1 lead. “He pretty much saved the day there,” Kay expressed. “First and second, no outs, and him to retire three guys was massive. The boys tacked on and kind of made it a comfortable win.”
The Sox expanded their lead with two runs in the seventh inning. Quero launched his second home run of the season. Benintendi doubled, later scoring on Rikuu Nishida’s single, increasing the lead to 4-1. Montgomery and Benintendi each hit a home run in the eighth, with Benintendi’s adding two runs. “The team is playing pretty good baseball,” Quero commented. “Playing hard every day and that’s the mentality right now.”
The Sox called up Jacob Gonzalez, a 2023 first-round draft pick, from Triple-A Charlotte, in response to Murakami’s injury. Though Gonzalez did not play, he relished the atmosphere. “It’s really cool,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid. I’m happy to be here.”
Gonzalez’s arrival was delayed due to a late flight. Reflecting on his elevation to the majors, he joked, “I was just hoping they weren’t going to change their minds. I was going to turn my phone off and stay on the flight.” Celebrating his 24th birthday, he said, “Probably the best one so far.”
Gonzalez has been performing well with the Knights, with a slash line of .317/.419/.668 in 52 games. With 19 home runs and 62 RBIs, he offers flexibility to the Sox, capable of playing multiple positions. “I’ll play anywhere,” Gonzalez added. “I grew up playing everywhere and ready to help this team win some games.”
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