Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth hit a line drive to the left field wall. With two outs in the seventh inning and a chance to tie the game, Colson Montgomery attempted to score from first base. However, New York Yankees left fielder Max Schuemann made an impressive one-hop throw to shortstop Anthony Volpe, who threw out Montgomery at home plate.

“There were two outs, and we all trust Justin Jirschele, who I think is one of the top third-base coaches. He makes excellent reads,” Montgomery said. “I got a decent jump off it. With lefty Brent Headrick on the mound, I stayed close to first base initially. I felt I had a good jump and thought I would score. But they executed some decent relays.”

The Yankees expanded their lead in the eighth inning with a four-run effort, capped by Ali Sánchez’s three-run home run. New York secured a 9-5 victory over the White Sox in front of 22,357 fans at Rate Field on Monday. Despite holding an early three-run lead, the Sox lost the opener of the four-game series.

“The Yankees are a strong team with a lot of experienced players,” Montgomery said. “They’re not going to let up. We had a 3-0 lead, but they kept pressing on.”

White Sox pitcher Noah Schultz took the mound in the first inning but the team ultimately fell short. With this loss, the Sox (55-50) lead the American League Central by two games over Cleveland (54-53). Poor weather postponed the Guardians’ game against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

Despite a brief rain delay, the Sox started strong, scoring three runs in the first inning. Colson Montgomery delivered an RBI single, Chase Meidroth added an RBI with a sacrifice fly, and Braden Montgomery drove in a run with a triple for a 3-0 lead. Returning from a minor injury, Colson Montgomery scored from first on Braden Montgomery’s triple.

The Yankees capitalized on consecutive walks in the fourth inning, leading to a four-run burst. After a run scored on a Volpe grounder, Sox starter Noah Schultz was pulled, having allowed three runs on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks over 3 1/3 innings.

“Noah was in a good spot early,” manager Will Venable said. “Through the first three innings, he handled full counts well despite the fourth inning’s trouble. It seemed the right moment for a change.”

“Monday was progress for Noah,” Venable added. “He was effective for three innings, and had I left him in, he might have managed the fourth. He did a commendable job.”

Schultz reflected on the game positively: We had a solid game plan. Catcher Edgar Quero called a great game, and we maintained good communication. I felt strong early but wore out a bit in the fourth. It’s disappointing.

Following Schultz’s exit, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a double off reliever Chris Murphy, driving in two runs and tying the game. Chisholm scored on a subsequent grounder, giving the Yankees a 4-3 advantage. The Sox leveled the score with an RBI single by Colson Montgomery in the fifth. He had three singles in the contest.

The Yankees reclaimed the lead in the seventh when Ben Rice’s two-out RBI single off reliever Bryan Hudson gave them a 5-4 edge. The Sox attempted to equalize in the seventh but failed as Montgomery was tagged out at home.

“It was an aggressive move with two outs,” Venable said. “Colson started well but couldn’t quite finish, running out of steam. Jirschele is bold out there. We appreciate the boldness, though it didn’t pay off this time.”

In the eighth, reliever Sean Newcomb allowed four runs, including Sánchez’s three-run homer, his first in the major leagues. This extended the Yankees’ lead to 9-4. The Sox committed three errors, one in the eighth, which contributed to their loss.

“It was a defensively sloppy game. Even plays without errors were subpar,” Venable observed. “Those mistakes notably affected the game outcome.”

In the ninth, Volpe’s dropped popup with two outs allowed a run, but David Bednar struck out Meidroth with two on base to end the contest.

“The Yankees are talented and relentless,” Montgomery commented. “It’s a lesson for us as we face quality teams in August and September.”