Chase Meidroth went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, Andrew Benintendi added two hits and two RBIs and the visiting Chicago White Sox claimed a 4-2 victory against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
Chicago secured its third straight series victory and a one-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians atop the American League Central.
Left-hander Anthony Kay set the tone with five strong innings before relievers Jordan Hicks, Grant Taylor and Bryan Hudson combined to retire 12 of the 13 batters they faced with eight strikeouts.
Hudson pitched the ninth for his fourth save after Taylor struck out five over two perfect innings.
Chicago opened the scoring on Meidroth’s RBI single in the second inning. The second baseman’s first hit of the night plated Braden Montgomery, who walked before advancing two bases on a Tyler Alexander wild pitch.
Texas answered with a solo home run from Cam Cauley in the bottom of the second.
Meidroth and Benintendi delivered successive run-scoring singles with two outs in the fourth to give the White Sox a 3-1 cushion. The Rangers again responded, getting a run back on an Elias Diaz RBI double-play groundout. It was their lone tally in the fourth after loading the bases with no outs.
Alexander worked as the Rangers’ opener, allowing one run and one hit in two innings with one walk and one strikeout. Cal Quantrill (3-3) took the loss after spacing two runs and two hits in three innings. The right-hander walked three and struck out one.
Kay worked effectively to earn his first victory since June 12, limiting the Rangers to two runs and five hits in five innings. He fanned four while navigating two walks and a hit batter.
Texas went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position against the left-hander. Kay (7-4) recorded his final out of the night by inducing Brandon Nimmo on a groundout to shortstop with two on and the Rangers trailing by one run in the fifth.
Chicago added an insurance run in the sixth on Benintendi’s RBI single.
The Rangers still own a half-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West as the teams begin a four-game set.
