Braden Montgomery belted a game-ending, two-run homer in the 10th inning in his major league debut to lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 victory against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Montgomery, the White Sox’s No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, connected against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (0-1) in the bottom of the 10th after Atlanta’s Mauricio Dubon hit a go-ahead RBI single against Grant Taylor on the first pitch of the top half.
Called up from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, Montgomery went 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Per Elias Sports Bureau, Montgomery is only the fifth player in major league history to hit a walk-off homer in his debut, joining Carlos Perez (2015), Miguel Cabrera (2003), Josh Bard (2002) and Billy Parker (1971).
Chicago didn’t hold the lead until its final swing and picked up its fifth walk-off victory of the season.
Matt Olson homered twice for the Braves while Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II added three hits apiece.
Miguel Vargas hit a two-run shot and Jacob Gonzalez had two hits and an RBI for the White Sox.
Olson provided the early power with his first multihomer effort of the season. He delivered a two-run blast against White Sox opener Brandon Eisert in the first inning and added a solo shot against Erick Fedde in the third.
Atlanta raced to a 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the third but Chicago chipped away with Vargas’ two-run home run in the bottom half. Montgomery brought the White Sox within 4-3 with an RBI single — his first career hit — against Braves starter Grant Holmes in the fourth.
Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left the game with left hamstring tightness in the fourth. Batting with one out, the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year and 2023 NL MVP hit a ground ball to Vargas at third. The throw narrowly beat Acuna, who hobbled down the right field line after running through the bag.
Eli White replaced Acuna in right field. White preserved a one-run Braves lead in the sixth, erasing Derek Hill at the plate to end the inning after Sam Antonacci lined a single to right. The call was upheld on replay after a White Sox challenge.
Chicago tied the game at 4-all on a Gonzalez RBI single in the seventh.
Holmes took a no-decision, scattering three runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Fedde yielded two runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings while striking out four.
Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Ronald, started at shortstop for Chicago as Colson Montgomery, no relation to Braden, missed the game due to back tightness.
Taylor (2-0) yielded an unearned run and two hits in two innings with one strikeout.
–Field Level Media
