SAN DIEGO — The Chicago White Sox began May with a bang, as Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery homered in an 8-2 victory against the San Diego Padres on Friday.
Murakami’s three-run home run, his major-league leading 13th, came during a six-run second inning. Montgomery hit a solo shot in the fifth, helping the Sox to a season-high fourth consecutive victory in front of a sellout crowd of 43,638 at Petco Park.
Starter Noah Schultz made the most of the run support. The left-hander allowed two hits, struck out two and walked three in six scoreless innings while improving to 2-1.
In his fourth major-league start, Schultz worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first. And then the Sox exploded for the big second inning.
Montgomery started the inning with a walk. Chase Meidroth doubled to right field, giving the Sox runners on second and third.
Sam Antonacci knocked in Montgomery with a single to right field. Meidroth advanced to third on the hit.
Austin Hays then hit a grounder to third baseman Manny Machado. The Padres got a force at second base while Meidroth decided to take off for home. Second baseman Fernando Tatis Jr.’s throw to the plate was off target, and Meidroth scored to extend the Sox lead to 2-0.
Walks to Tristan Peters and Drew Romo loaded the bases for Andrew Benintendi, who brought home Hays with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Murakami followed with the three-run home run on a 3-2 knuckle curve from Padres starter Germán Márquez.
Montgomery’s home run in the fifth, which gave the Sox a 7-0 lead, was his ninth of the season.
Meanwhile, Schultz settled in. The only hits he allowed were both to Tatis, a single in the third and a triple in the sixth, as the Sox (15-17) started a six-game trip on a strong note.
