White Sox clinch back-to-back winning months as Colson Montgomery fuels 7-run 3rd

BALTIMORE -- Colson Montgomery launched a long go-ahead home run as the White Sox rolled to a seven-run third inning and cruised to a 9-3 series-clinching win over the Orioles on Tuesday night at Camden Yards.

Montgomery’s two-run shot off Orioles starter Trey Gibson traveled a Statcast-projected 440 feet onto Eutaw Street, well over the right-center-field wall. Montgomery’s blast was the 137th to reach Eutaw Street -- the 73rd by an opponent -- and the third by a White Sox player, joining Adam Dunn (Sept. 8, 2013) and Jeff Liefer (June 21, 2001).

“I didn’t even think it went over that gate; I thought it went through the gate,” Montgomery said. “I knew I got it pretty good, though.”

It was the second game in a row the shortstop put the White Sox in the lead for good. Montgomery’s RBI double broke a 2-2 tie on the way to an 8-2 victory on Monday night.

"It was majestic,” manager Will Venable said of Montgomery’s homer. “He clicked that one pretty good. We know he's got that in the tank. … [It’s been] a couple days where Colson maybe hasn't been at his best, but we know that it doesn't take a lot to get him back on track."

Montgomery has 42 homers since July 22, 2025, which is tied for second in MLB with the Rays’ Junior Caminero, behind only the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber (54). His 21 homers are the most by a shortstop in the Majors this season.

Jacob Gonzalez lined a two-run single and Junior Pérez smacked a three-run homer in the seven-run third. Seven straight hitters reached base on five hits and two walks.

The White Sox have scored 44 runs in the past five games, and with the win, they secured consecutive winning months for the first time since 2021.

"I think we've just done a really good job of maintaining our consistency, our energy,” Venable said. “The valleys which you expect to happen at times, really minimizing those, which is great. It’s a winning month, but you feel like we weren't really hot this month and also didn't really have those really bad stretches."

The home run has been an important ingredient in this recent run. The White Sox lead the Majors with 102 since April 17. Their 39-26 (.600) record during that time is the best in the American League, and they have won six of their past eight, snapping a streak of seven straight road series losses since May 1-3 at San Diego. The two wins at Camden mark their first series victory in Baltimore since July 9-11, 2021.

"Yeah, that's big,” Venable said. “Disappointing we haven't had a road series win in that long. But it's a great time to get it, and [I’m] really proud of the guys for continuing to battle on the road."

Erick Fedde took advantage of the big cushion, holding the Orioles to three runs on five hits and three walks over five innings.

With two outs in the fifth inning, Fedde allowed a pair of RBI hits, then got nervous as he saw Venable heading toward him.

“When I first saw him walking out, I was kind of bummed,” Fedde said. “[I] wanted to get through the fifth at least, and when he came out there and you know, just said to me, ‘This is your inning, go get your dub.’ And it was just nice to have that confidence in me, and I'm grateful for the boys to put up a bunch of runs to give me that opportunity.”

A lot of the focus on what can make the first-place White Sox (45-39) a complete team capable of postseason success hinges on a consistent starting rotation.

Fedde, making his first start since June 3 after four relief outings, is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA over seven appearances (two starts) since May 29. The 33-year-old certainly wants to be a trusted starter in July and beyond.

“I've been really getting after guys, just kind of sticking to what makes me good in making adjustments,” Fedde said. “I think [pitching coach Zach] Bove and the pitching staff have been great about every start, coming to me with new ideas and ways to attack hitters and kind of usages. We started throwing my cutter a little less, and I think it had some good effects. So now when I am throwing it, it's kind of catching people off guard.”

Tyler Schweitzer tossed a career-high four innings for his first save, resting the bullpen for Wednesday, when Noah Schultz will return to make his first start since May 24.

"Outstanding,” Venable said of the left-hander’s extended relief work. “He probably doesn't even understand how big that is for us. Four scoreless innings there to save our bullpen, but also put us in a spot to win that game."