Kay pitches 6 scoreless, Benintendi, Vargas and Pereira homer as White
Sox beat Rays 9-1
[August 03, 2026]
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Kay tossed 6 1/3
scoreless innings, Andrew Benintendi, Everson Pereira and Miguel Vargas
hit home runs, and the Chicago White Sox beat the AL-leading Tampa Bay
Rays 9-1 on Sunday.
The White Sox (58-52), who entered August in first place of the AL
Central for the first time since 2021, hold a 3 1/2 game lead over the
Minnesota Twins. |
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes, center left, waits as Chicago White
Sox's Andrew Benintendi, right, crosses the plate after hitting a home
run during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in
St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken) |
|
Kay (8-5) fanned three batters and allowed seven hits while
walking one. Duncan Davitt surrendered the lone run on his first
pitch of the ninth.
Benintendi scored the game's first run on a fielding error by
Griffin Jax (6-9) in the first inning, and Colson Montgomery
doubled the lead after Benintendi's advance to second allowed
him to come across from third; the play was officially scored as
a wild pitch by Jax.
Benintendi launched his 12th homer of the year 378 feet over the
right-center field wall in the fourth, and Pereira extended the
lead with a two-run double in the sixth inning.
Pereira tacked on his his fourth home run of the year in the
ninth before Vargas sealed the game with a 413-footer to the
left-field seats at Tropicana Field.
In five innings, Jax allowed three runs on four hits while
striking out eight.
Ben Williamson scored the Rays' only run with a solo homer to
left field.
During the game, the Rays acquired starting pitcher and two-time
All Star Freddy Peralta for three prospects in a trade with the
New York Mets. Peralta carries a 4.99 ERA across 22 starts — the
second-worst ERA among all qualified pitchers in the MLB this
season.
Up next
Rays LHP Ian Seymour (7-3, 4.37 ERA) gets the start for a series
opener against Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.54) on
Monday.
The White Sox continue their six-game road trip at Fenway Park
to face the Red Sox. Neither teams have announced a starter for
Tuesday's game.
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