Baldwin hits 3-run HR, Vargas adds 2-run shot as White Sox beat Rays 8-3 for fourth straight win

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Brooks Baldwin hit a three-run homer, Miguel Vargas added a two-run shot and the Chicago White Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Monday night for their season-high fourth straight win.

Coming off a sweep at Pittsburgh, Chicago has won four consecutive games for the first time since May 8-11, 2024. The White Sox are 15-36 on the road.

Baldwin gave the White Sox a 3-0 lead in the second and Vargas made it 8-2 with a two-run homer in the fifth. It was Vargas’ second homer in two games after a 96 at-bat drought.

Luis Robert Jr. had a two-run single and Chase Meidroth had three hits.

White Sox starter Sean Burke left after 89 pitches and giving up a leadoff walk in the fifth. Tyler Gilbert (4-1), the second of six White Sox pitchers, got the win.

Shane Baz (8-6) allowed eight runs and eight hits with two walks in four innings for the Rays.

Taylor Walls’ two-run double and Yandi Díaz’s solo homer accounted for the Rays’ runs.

Tampa Bay All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, who left Saturday’s game after a flare-up of plantar fasciitis, missed his second straight start. He returned from the injured list on July 18 (oblique tightness). Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim left the game in the fourth with lower back tightness.

Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery singled before Baldwin hit his fifth homer of the season to right-center field with two outs to start the Chicago offense.

Chicago has scored 35 runs through four games to begin the second half of the season.

Chicago hasn’t named a starter for Tuesday’s game. RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.86) will pitch for the Rays.