KANSAS CITY — After a three-hour rain delay, the Chicago White Sox finally found their spark on Sunday, snapping a lengthy scoreless drought to outlast the Kansas City Royals 6-5 in a marathon effort that tied a franchise record for pitching usage.
A Breakthrough Performance
The game’s momentum shifted in the second inning when 26-year-old rookie Tanner Murray launched a two-run home run off Royals starter Noah Cameron. It was Murray’s first major league home run and only his second career hit since debuting on April 5.
The blast was more than just a personal milestone; it ended a grueling 21 2/3-inning scoreless streak for the Chicago offense. Colson Montgomery also added a home run to help keep the White Sox in the hunt.
Record-Tying Bullpen Effort
In a rare display of pitching depth, Chicago used nine different pitchers to navigate the nine-inning contest. This matched a club record previously set on September 14, 1997, against Cleveland.
The strategy paid off in the closing frames. The final four relievers—Bryan Hudson, Jordan Leasure, Lucas Sims, and Seranthony Domínguez—were dominant, combining for:
- 4 1/3 innings of hitless baseball
- 6 strikeouts
- 0 runs allowed
Jordan Leasure (1-0) earned the win, while Seranthony Domínguez secured his third save of the season with a clean ninth inning.
The Deciding Moment
The game remained deadlocked until the seventh inning. Pinch-hitter Dustin Harris ignited the rally with a lead-off double. He eventually crossed the plate to score the tiebreaking run courtesy of a wild pitch by Kansas City’s John Schreiber (0-2).
Despite the early weather delays and the back-and-forth nature of the scoring, the White Sox bullpen held firm to ensure the 6-5 victory before heading out of Kansas City.
