Tyler Stephenson belted a three-run home run and Sal Stewart and Eugenio Suarez also homered as the visiting Cincinnati Reds edged the Chicago White Sox 9-8 on Thursday.
Cincinnati took two of three from American League Central-leading Chicago and has won six of its eight series since the All-Star break.
Edgar Quero had three hits and two RBIs for the White Sox. His two-out, run-scoring single against Julian Garcia brought Chicago within one, but Garcia recovered to notch his second save.
Tejay Antone (2-0) struck out the side in the sixth to earn the victory.
Stewart (two RBIs) and Stephenson each had two hits for the Reds. Stephenson connected off White Sox reliever Erick Fedde to extend the lead to 8-4 in the fourth.
Suarez had four RBIs, including driving in a run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Randal Grichuk had two hits and three RBIs for the White Sox. Sam Antonacci added two hits and Andrew Benintendi, who pinch hit for Grichuk in the sixth, added a two-run single in the eighth.
White Sox right-hander Davis Martin remained in search of his first victory since June 10.
Stewart hit a solo homer in the first inning, his club-leading 26th home run this season. Suarez followed with a two-run blast with two out.
Chicago needed just two batters to get one run back in the bottom of the inning, with Grichuk delivering an RBI double off Andrew Abbott after Chase Meidroth doubled to open the game.
Meidroth drove in a run with a ground-rule double in the second before Grichuk hit a go-ahead, two-run double to right.
Home plate umpire Alan Porter ejected Martin after Martin hit Stewart in the helmet with a pitch to open the Cincinnati third. The benches and bullpens cleared before the game resumed.
Martin scattered four runs, three earned, and two hits in two-plus innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Abbott also took a no-decision, allowing five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.
Fedde (6-8) yielded four runs and five hits in three innings. He had two walks and one strikeout.
The White Sox moved up the game’s start time by one hour, to 1:10 p.m. ET, to accommodate a forecast for rain later in the afternoon.
–Field Level Media
