Sox blast their way to 3-game lead over Rays

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, August 1, 2026

The Chicago White Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 to extend their AL Central lead to three games, fueled by home runs from four key hitters and strong pitching from Erick Fedde and the bullpen. This victory marks the team’s largest division lead since 2021 and comes just days before the trade deadline, as the White Sox aim to maintain momentum toward a postseason run.

The Chicago White Sox extended their division lead to three games with a convincing 6-1 victory over the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday in St. Petersburg, Florida. The win marked the team’s largest advantage atop the AL Central since the end of the 2021 season, propelled by home runs from four of their middle-of-the-lineup hitters.

Miguel Vargas opened the scoring with a 433-foot solo home run to left field in the first inning, followed by a solo shot from Andrew Benintendi leading off the second. Munetaka Murakami contributed a two-run homer in the third inning, and Colson Montgomery capped the scoring with a two-run blast that strikingly landed on the catwalk above right field in the sixth.

Montgomery remarked on the unusual hit, saying he wished the ball had not struck the catwalk so the true distance could be measured. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the trio of Montgomery, Murakami, and Vargas homered in the same game for the fifth time this season, tying both a Major League Baseball and franchise record. The last White Sox trio to achieve this was Joe Crede, Paul Konerko, and Jose Valentin in 2004. In MLB history, the feat has been accomplished 10 times, with the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, and Joe Pederson the most recent in 2019.

Manager Will Venable praised the lineup’s production, noting the difficulty in hitting Rays starter Nick Martinez early in the game. Venable also highlighted the value of the pitching staff’s performance, particularly Erick Fedde, who threw five innings allowing just one run. Relievers Tyler Schweitzer and Trevor Richards combined to secure the final four innings, providing much-needed rest for a bullpen that had pitched 11 innings over the previous two games.

With Sunday’s win and a concurrent loss by the Cleveland Guardians, the White Sox improved to 58-51 on the season, standing three games ahead in the AL Central and seven games above .500—a season-high mark.

This week, Venable held the team’s monthly “State of the Sox” meeting, addressing several topics including the upcoming trade deadline set for 5 p.m. Monday. While no roster moves have been reported, Venable acknowledged the possibility of changes, emphasizing the importance of minimizing distractions as players navigate the pressures of the season.

“The DNA of our club changes over the next couple of days,” Venable said, “we just want to be prepared for that and make sure that it’s not more of a distraction than it needs to be.”

Meanwhile, players remain focused on postseason ambitions. Center fielder Tristan Peters expressed confidence, stating the team’s goal remains capturing the World Series title. “In my mind, our goal is to win the World Series,” Peters said, underscoring the team’s determination as they hold firm atop their division with the trade deadline imminent.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.