The Chicago White Sox smashed four home runs, giving Noah Schultz plenty of cushion to earn his first career win as they claimed the rubber match against the Athletics, 7-4, on Sunday in West Sacramento, Calif.
Munetaki Murakami’s two-run homer in the fifth inning was his third in as many days, moving the rookie firmly into the top five in the majors with his eighth of the season. Derek Hill, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery also homered for the White Sox.
After taking the loss in his major league debut Tuesday, Schultz (1-1) was much improved in the left-hander’s second start, allowing one run on one hit over five innings, walking one and striking out six.
Chase Meidroth and Vargas each had two hits and scored two runs in the top two spots of the White Sox lineup.
Darell Hernaiz homered and scored two runs and Zack Gelof knocked in two runs for the Athletics.
Chicago got to Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-1) early and often in his five-inning start. The White Sox put the first two batters of the game on base and opened the scoring with an Edgar Quero sacrifice fly in the first.
The White Sox tacked on three more in the second on Hill’s first homer with Chicago followed by Vargas’ third homer of the season, a two-run shot to left.
After the Athletics got on the board with Hernaiz’s homer in the second, the White Sox responded with three more in the fifth on Murakami’s 425-foot, two-run homer to right followed by Montgomery’s fifth homer three batters later to push the lead to 7-1.
Springs, who allowed a combined four runs on 10 hits in his first four starts of the season, was tagged for seven runs on nine hits, striking out seven and walking one.
The Athletics cut that lead in half in the seventh on Gelof’s two-out, two-run double followed by a wild pitch which scored Gelof to cut the lead to 7-4.
Three A’s relievers tossed a combined four innings of one-hit, shutout relief work to give the lineup a chance to claw its way back.
The Athletics brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth after a walk and hit-by-pitch from Seranthony Dominguez, but Jacob Wilson flew out to center on the first pitch, securing Dominguez’s fourth save.
