CHICAGO -- The White Sox will have a winning month for the first time since May 2023 by virtue of their 6-2 victory over the Twins Thursday afternoon at Rate Field.
That victory pushed the South Siders to 15-10 in May with three weekend home games to play against the Tigers before the schedule enters June. They posted a 15-14 ledger in May three years ago. It’s not exactly a sign to start printing playoff tickets or map out parade routes.
But it is another example of the South Siders’ consistency moving toward greater excellence from day to day.
“Our floor has been raised, certainly, and the expectation for what it looks like every day should be elevated from where it was last year, obviously,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “It’s great to get those results, but we still are focused on the things we do well and leaning into those, and the things we need to work on and continue to improve those.
“Record aside, that’s the continued focus. But certainly two months of playing .500 baseball or better is a good indication that we’re headed in the right direction.”
May’s results follow a 13-13 showing in April, which was the first sign of a White Sox turnaround. Right-hander Davis Martin sits at the center of these improved fortunes, allowing one run on two hits over six innings and 84 pitches Thursday, striking out five and walking two.
Martin tied Cleveland’s Gavin Williams for the American League lead at eight victories, while surpassing his previous single-season high of seven. Martin lowered his ERA to 2.00 with the effort.
Left-hander Kendry Rojas was scheduled to start for the Twins, but he was scratched due to posterior elbow soreness before the game and replaced by right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. Venable switched out right-handed-hitting Luisangel Acuña and Derek Hill for left-handed-hitting Tristan Peters and Rikuu Nishida. But he kept right-handed-hitting Randal Grichuk in the lineup.
Grichuk responded with a bases-clearing double during a four-run third. Colson Montgomery added two hits, and Peters picked up three. The White Sox matched a season-high two games over .500 with their 29-27 record, reaching that mark for the fourth time this year. They also moved to 13-3 during their past 16 home games.