White Sox Edge Rays 6-5 Behind Explosive Second Inning

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CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox rode a five-run second inning to a narrow 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, snapping a recent skid and showcasing clutch hitting from key contributors. Mike Tauchman and Lenyn Sosa delivered two-run doubles, while Michael A. Taylor chipped in with an RBI double to power the White Sox to an early 5-1 lead. The offensive outburst chased Rays rookie starter Mason Montgomery (1-3) after just two-thirds of an inning, as he was tagged for five runs on five hits and a walk. Taylor opened the scoring with his double to left-center, driving in Paul DeJong. Tauchman followed by roping a two-run double down the right-field line, and Sosa capped the rally with another two-run shot into the gap after Kyle Teel worked a walk. An inning later, Andrew Benintendi added a crucial insurance run with a solo homer to right, pushing the lead to 6-1. It was Benintendi’s fifth homer in his last 12 games and ultimately the difference-maker. The Rays responded with a power surge of their own. Yandy Díaz got things started with a solo homer in the first inning, and Tampa Bay cut into the lead in the fifth with back-to-back home runs — a solo shot by Carson Williams and a two-run blast from slugger Junior Caminero. Caminero's 43rd homer of the season moves him into sixth place in the majors.

Hunter Feduccia’s RBI single in the sixth brought the Rays within one, but Chicago’s bullpen held firm the rest of the way. Jordan Leasure (5-6) earned the win after tossing a clean inning in the middle frames, and Tyler Gilbert secured his first career save, striking out Brandon Lowe to end the game.

The White Sox used eight pitchers on the night, though the bullpen took a hit in the ninth when rookie reliever Grant Taylor exited with a right groin strain after issuing a leadoff walk.

One of the game’s quieter storylines was Kyle Teel extending his on-base streak to 19 games — tied for the second-longest active streak in Major League Baseball. Teel scored the fifth run of the night after his second-inning walk.

Up Next:

The White Sox and Rays wrap up the series on Thursday afternoon, with Tampa Bay looking to salvage the finale and Chicago aiming for a series win.