CLEVELAND — Colson Montgomery celebrated the one-year anniversary of his major league debut by delivering a pivotal solo home run that helped lead the Chicago White Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday at Progressive Field.

The White Sox’s win extended a pattern of close contests this season between the two teams, marking the sixth consecutive meeting decided by a single run. Montgomery's go-ahead homer in the eighth inning was followed by a late insurance run in the ninth, giving Chicago a key victory in front of a crowd of 31,727 on July 4.

Montgomery’s blast, his 22nd of the season, broke a 1-1 tie. He credited a more disciplined approach at the plate for his success. “Today, I felt pretty comfortable,” Montgomery said. “I was more committed to my plan than most days.” Earlier, Miguel Vargas, who was named an All-Star for the first time earlier in the day, set the tone with an RBI in the opening inning. Vargas walked and eventually scored on Montgomery’s double, giving the White Sox an early lead.

Chicago starter Sean Burke delivered a strong performance over six innings, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out a career-high 11 batters with no walks. Despite not factoring into the decision, Burke’s ability to stay within the strike zone and generate swings with two strikes was pivotal. “He just filled up the zone,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Part of beating these guys is limiting walks, and he did that.”

Cleveland’s run came in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Austin Hedges, followed by a triple from Steven Kwan. However, Burke pitched out of a critical jam by inducing a ground ball and helping the defense catch Kwan in a rundown to prevent further damage.

The White Sox added a crucial insurance run in the ninth inning. Tristan Peters doubled, advanced to third on a throwing error, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Vargas to extend the lead to 3-1.

Chicago's bullpen was effective in closing out the game. Brandon Eisert threw two perfect innings with two strikeouts and earned the win, while closer Grant Taylor struck out one batter in the ninth to secure his third save of the season. Venable praised both relievers, particularly Eisert’s contribution given the thin bullpen situation. Taylor also rebounded well after surrendering a walk-off home run earlier in the week.

With the win, the White Sox improved to 46-42, pulling even with the Guardians at 47-43 in the American League Central standings. Montgomery reflected on the competitive nature of the series, noting that the tight games feel like a playoff atmosphere despite being before the All-Star break. “It’s a good learning experience for down the road,” he said.

The two teams are poised for a close divisional race heading into the season’s second half. As Burke put it, “It’s going to be a race down to the wire.”