Munetaka Murakami briefly tied for the team lead in home runs after hitting his 30th in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday. His two-run homer to left field put him level with Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery. However, Montgomery soon hit his 31st home run, surpassing the tie. Despite the early lead, the White Sox lost to the Twins 6-4 at Rate Field in front of 27,749 fans.
Photos: Minnesota Twins 6, Chicago White Sox 4
‘Obviously I’m happy about getting 30, but we lost the game,’ Murakami said via an interpreter. ‘So that’s disappointing. We hope to win one tomorrow.’
In the fifth inning, Ryan Jeffers hit a decisive three-run home run that secured the victory for the Twins. White Sox starter Anthony Kay expressed his frustration afterward.
‘The team gives you a 3-0 lead in the first inning, you want to keep it,’ Kay said. ‘I didn’t do that tonight. Got into a groove early, then struggled in the second and third times around.’
The first-place White Sox (74-68) maintain a 2.5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians (72-71) in the American League Central. The Guardians lost to the Detroit Tigers 6-0 on Saturday. The third-place Twins (68-74) are six games behind.
Murakami and Montgomery’s home runs gave the Sox a 3-0 start. Murakami emphasized team effort:
‘Having Colson and Vargas is a strong point, but everyone contributes. We grow stronger as a team, aiming for victories.’
Murakami, Vargas, and Montgomery became the first trio of Sox players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season since 2008. Manager Will Venable praised their performance:
‘To have three guys in your lineup with 30 homers means a lot. It shows what we do well.’
Murakami joined a select group of Sox rookies to achieve 30-plus home runs in a season, focusing on staying healthy:
‘My goal was to avoid injuries, not home runs. Results come by season’s end.’
The Twins loaded the bases in the fourth. A Kody Clemens grounder allowed a run on a fielder’s choice, and Brooks Lee reduced the Sox lead to 3-2 with a double. Kay allowed a three-run home run by Jeffers, pushing the Sox behind at 5-3.
Venable commented on Kay’s performance:
‘Sharp early, then got into trouble, left some pitches over, Jeffers’ homer was unfortunate.’
Vargas brought the Sox closer with a single in the fifth, but the Twins extended the lead to 6-4 in the seventh with a Kaelen Culpepper RBI double. The Sox threatened in the seventh and eighth innings but couldn’t rally back.
‘Great first inning with the homers, Mune with his 30th, and Colson’s swing,’ Venable acknowledged. ‘But nothing after.’
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