Twelve Chicago White Sox players have made their major league debuts this season.
On Wednesday night, the club will look to build on the momentum created by its latest new arrival and take a series from the team with the best record in baseball.
Host Chicago rallied for a 6-5, 10-inning victory against the Atlanta Braves in Tuesday’s opener of a three-game series as right fielder Braden Montgomery punctuated his first major league game with a walk-off, two-run homer.
Montgomery went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, saving his best heroics for last as the White Sox secured their fifth walk-off victory this season and moved a half-game behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central.
“Just how we drew it up,” Montgomery said. “That was … I still don’t know what to say. That was unreal.”
Fellow rookie Jacob Gonzalez added two hits and an RBI for the White Sox, and Miguel Vargas hit his 16th home run as Chicago fought back from an early 4-0 deficit.
While Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson delivered his 18th and 19th home runs of the season, and Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies added three hits apiece, the Braves endured a scare when right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left in the fourth inning with left hamstring tightness after attempting to run out a grounder.
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Acuna will undergo an MRI on Wednesday and is day-to-day. Weiss said the injury “doesn’t seem as bad” as the left hamstring strain that put Acuna on the injured list from May 3-18.
“This one more recently, I don’t feel any pain,” Acuna said. “I just feel a little bit tight, so let’s see what happens with the MRI (Wednesday).”
Left-hander Chris Sale will start for Atlanta on Wednesday. Sale (8-4, 2.23 ERA) is coming off a 7-2 home loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last Thursday, when he allowed three runs and a season-high 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
“You’ve got to chalk it up to just being one of those days, really,” said Sale, who walked two, struck out six and hit a batter. “I just felt like anything that got put in play was a hit. My command was in and out at times. My stuff was pretty good, but it just seemed like they always found holes.”
A first-round draft pick of the White Sox in 2010, Sale went 74-50 with a 3.00 ERA in seven seasons for Chicago, making 148 starts among his 228 appearances. He is 2-2 with a 2.92 ERA in six starts against his former team, with 57 strikeouts in 37 innings.
Right-hander Davis Martin (8-2, 2.61 ERA) is slated to start for the White Sox. Initially set to pitch on Tuesday, he was given an extra day of rest after getting hit hard in a 6-4 loss at Minnesota on June 2.
Martin allowed six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings, with three walks and two strikeouts.
“We have these off days, and you have the ability to get things lined up to maximize the recovery for guys,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “And Davis, as much as he’s been pitching, we thought the opportunity to give him extra time, make sure that he is recovered well and at his best, was really important.”
Martin has not faced Atlanta in his career.
–Field Level Media
