The Chicago White Sox demonstrated their offensive prowess on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays, scoring twice in the second inning before extending their lead. With Braden Montgomery on third base and two outs, Chase Meidroth delivered a single to center field. Sam Antonacci then hit a two-run home run to right, increasing the lead to five runs.
“We found some holes there in the second inning, and then the big homer by Antonacci,” manager Will Venable stated. “Really good job up and down the lineup by putting good at-bats together. Just the collective effort offensively was great.”
After the All-Star break, the Sox defeated the Blue Jays 12-4 at Rogers Centre, with 41,895 fans in attendance. Venable emphasized the importance of their slugging and scoring capabilities. “Slugging and scoring runs is a big part of our identity,” he said, praising the team for coming back ready after the break.
Antonacci contributed with two hits in the victory, marking four consecutive wins for the Sox. The rookie has now homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career, with six home runs in his past 25 games. The entire starting lineup recorded at least one hit.
“Definitely an energized offense tonight,” Antonacci remarked. “We’ve got goals in mind and they’re not going to be achieved just by sitting around.”
With this win, the Sox, leading the American League Central, have a slim lead over the Cleveland Guardians. Their performance against the Blue Jays marks their longest winning streak against the team since 2015-16.
Despite allowing three home runs, the Sox managed a strong showing. Starter Anthony Kay gave up two runs on two hits over four innings, striking out five. “I just felt off command-wise,” Kay explained. “To only get away with two was a plus.”
Colson Montgomery extended the Sox’s lead to 8-2 with a three-run double in the fifth inning. Additional home runs by the Blue Jays brought them closer, but the Sox responded with Braden Montgomery’s three-run triple in the seventh. Another run came from a Tristan Peters sacrifice fly.
“The team that wins is the one that puts up the most runs,” Montgomery stated. He registered four RBIs, joining notable Sox rookies with such an achievement in consecutive games.
Reliever Tyler Schweitzer performed admirably, allowing just one hit over three scoreless innings to secure the win. “Really impressive stuff,” Venable commented on Schweitzer’s performance.
Montgomery highlighted the significance of starting strong after the break, particularly in a challenging venue. “We know we’ve had to pick it up on the road. And so that’s a good start to the second half. And we plan on keeping it rolling.”