CHICAGO (AP) — Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning for his second homer of the game and the season, giving the Chicago White Sox an 8-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.
Benintendi had three hits and six RBIs to help Chicago win its second straight and for just the fifth time this season. Chicago’s 5-22 start is its worst in 27 games. Baltimore started 3-24 in 1988.
Benintendi ended it by smacking the first pitch he saw from Phil Maton (0-2) deep over the right-center wall for the first walk-off shot in his nine-year career.
“I was just looking for something up in the zone, something to drive to the outfield,” Benintendi said, “and put a good swing on it.
“I know what’s in the tank as far as what kind of power I have. It just starts with hard contact and swinging at good pitches.”
It was Benintendi’s sixth career multihomer game and the six RBIs matched a career high. The White Sox have won three straight at home, with a seven-game slide on the road in-between.
“For us right now it’s a day at a time when we’re in the position we are,” Benintendi said.
Automatic runner Curtis Mead scored from third on Deivi Garcia’s (1-2) wild pitch in the dirt in the top of the 10th to put Tampa Bay ahead 7-6.
Ben Sheets and Andrew Vaughn also drove in runs for Chicago.
Richie Palacios hit a two run drive and finished with three hits, but Tampa Bay lost for the fifth time in six, and a second straight to Chicago.
“We’re not doing well right now,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve got to turn it around.”
Tampa Bay’s Austin Shenton hit his first career home run, a solo shot that barely cleared the left-field wall, and and doubled in his 10th game in the majors.
Ben Rortvedt went 3 for 3 and scored twice. He led off the eighth with a fly to right that bounded of the top of the wall, but was first called a home run on the field. After Rortvedt circled the bases and a crew-chief review, he was awarded a single.
“Obviously, its their first series win, but it’s just another series.” Rortvedt said. “These guys are a major league ballclub, and they’re going to win their games, but this was a pretty tough loss for us.”
Randy Arozarena drove in two runs with a double in the sixth to tie the game 6-all.
Tommy Pham, who had two hits in his White Sox debut on Friday, added two singles in this one. The 36-year-old outfielder raced home from third to beat Amed Rosario’s throw from second and score a go-head run in Chicago’s three-run fifth.
Chicago’s Jonathan Cannon scuffled in his third major league start, allowing four runs on eight hits in five innings.
Still, the 6-foot-6 right-hander exited with a 6-4 lead and was in line for his first win. But Dominic Leone, the first of five Chicago relievers, allowed two runs in the sixth on Palacio’s double.
“Cannon, despite not having his best, best stuff, he competed his butt off,” Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said.
Aaron Civale was tagged for six runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in his second straight rough outing.
The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the second on José Caballero’s RBI single.
Palacio’s third homer, a drive to right, upped it to 3-0 in the fourth. Benintendi’s first homer, just over the right-center wall, tied it 3 all in the bottom half.
Shenton’s first career shot, aided by a steady wind, put Tampa Bay back head 4-3 in the fifth.
Chicago took a 6-4 lead in the bottom half. Sheets’ ground-rule double, Vaughn’s fielder’s choice grounder and Benintendi’s wind-blown pop single to short center drove in the runs.
Arozarena’s double tied it at 6 in the sixth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tampa Bay: OF Josh Lowe was nearing a return as from a right oblique strain, but will remain on the IL with a new injury, right hamstring tightness. Lowe, who has yet to play this season, is scheduled for an MRI on Monday. The 26-year-old broke out in 2023 with 20 homers, 83 RBIs and a .292 average. … INF Yandy Diaz was out of the lineup after being hit by a pitch on the left hand Friday. X-rays were negative and he was available off the bench.
UP NEXT
Tampa Bay sends RHP Zack Littell (1-1, 3.33) to the mound against Chicago RHP Erick Fedde (1-0, 2.73) on Sunday.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb