ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Chicago White Sox left fielder Sam Antonacci began Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays by reaching base on an error. This miscue set the stage for more mistakes by the Rays in the first inning, allowing the Sox to score twice. The Sox secured a decisive 9-1 victory in front of 23,559 fans at Tropicana Field. Currently leading the American League Central, the Sox have a record of 59-52 and took two out of three games in the series against the AL East leaders, the Rays.
“It’s always great to win these types of games,”infielder Miguel Vargas said.
The Sox maintained a three-game lead in their division over the second-place Cleveland Guardians, who also won on Sunday. The initial inning shaped the outcome of the game for the Sox. Chicago’s Andrew Benintendi began the action with a grounder that Rays pitcher Griffin Jax failed to field cleanly, leading to another error that allowed Antonacci to score. Benintendi later scored on a sequence involving a tactical play with Tristan Peters at-bat, confusing Rays’ shortstop Ben Williamson and allowing Montgomery to score.
Capitalizing on Errors
Sox manager Will Venable praised the team’s ability to take advantage of the Rays’ defensive lapses.
“To get two runs early is always good,”Venable said.“Those were tough plays and we capitalized on them. It speaks to our competitiveness and our ability to seize opportunities.”
Benintendi added a solo home run in the fourth inning, extending the lead. In the sixth inning, Everson Pereira doubled in two more runs, contributing significantly after being a late addition to the lineup. He further added to his impressive performance with a two-run homer in the ninth inning.
Pereira spoke about his turbulent season, acknowledging the challenges he faced with injuries, yet remaining focused on future games.
“It hasn’t been easy,” Pereira admitted through an interpreter. “There’s been a lot to deal with, but now I focus on what I can do moving forward.”
Vargas also added to the score with a two-run homer against reliever Chris Roycroft in the ninth inning.
Pitching Highlights
Anthony Kay excelled as the starting pitcher for the Sox, delivering 6 1/3 innings where he scattered seven hits, struck out three, and walked one.
“It was good to go out there and get some length,”Kay commented on his longest start of the season.“It shows where we’re at in the league.”
Sox manager Venable highlighted Kay’s ability to navigate through tough spots.
“He handled trouble well and did a great job today,”Venable observed.
The Sox’s performance against top AL East teams continues to impress. After splitting a series with the Yankees, the Sox clinched this series against the Rays, showcasing their defensive prowess by allowing only three runs in total.
As the team heads to Boston for their next series, they are buoyed by the addition of pitcher Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners.
“We’ve put ourselves in a strong position,”Vargas said.“We’re all aiming for the World Series.”