The Chicago White Sox (58-51) defeated the Tampa Bay Rays (64-45) 6-1 on Friday night at Tropicana Field.
The White Sox hit four home runs off Nick Martinez (10-3, 2.77) in this game to account for their offense. Miguel Vargas hit a solo homer in the first, Andrew Benintendi hit a solo homer in the second, and Minuetka Murakami hit a two-run homer in the third to build a 4-0 lead.
Junior Caminero hit a solo home run in the fourth to pull the Rays within 4-1 - it was his 30th homer of the season. The White Sox answered with a two-run homer in the sixth inning from Colton Montgomery that made it 6-1, which would prove to be the final score.
Martinez finished the game allowing six runs - all of them earned - on seven hits in six innings of work in which he struck out two and walked none. Erick Fedde (6-6, 4.13) got the win for the White Sox, pitching five innings in which he allowed one earned run on four hits while striking out six and walking none.
The Rays will look to bounce back and even the three-game series with the White Sox on Saturday afternoon. Drew Rasmussen (9-5, 3.07) is scheduled to start for the Rays and face Jordan Hicks (1-1, 3.19) for Chicago. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 4:10 PM at Tropicana Field - Chris Adams-Wall begins pregame coverage at 3:30 PM on 95.7 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of Rays Baseball.
COVER PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES