Munetaka Murakami Powers White Sox Standings Back Above .500
Munetaka Murakami’s two-homer night pushed the white sox standings back above.500, and the White Sox beat the Cubs 8-3 on Saturday night to move to 23-22. Murakami also had the first multi-homer game of his MLB career, part of a five-homer outburst in front of 38,795 at the ballpark.
Murakami Breaks Through Again
Murakami hit two of Chicago’s five home runs and did it off Jameson Taillon twice. His surge came after a six-game dry spell from April 5-12, when he went homerless, struck out 10 times and hit.043.
Before Saturday’s game, Will Venable said, “I told you guys he’s just fine,” and Murakami backed that up with his first multi-homer game in the majors. He entered the night with 15 home runs, one behind Aaron Judge for the American League lead, plus 35 walks, which ranked fourth in the AL, and 64 strikeouts, the most in the league.
White Sox Power Stack
Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery and Andrew Benintendi also homered for the White Sox, giving Chicago five long balls in all. Vargas said, “We prepared for this type of moment and I think we’re doing a really good job,” after a night when the lineup kept turning one big swing into the next.
Vargas also said, “I feel it’s not just us three. I think it’s the whole team we’re doing a really good job in every at-bat, and I think they put us in a really good spot to drive in runs and score.” Murakami, Vargas and Montgomery were described as one of baseball’s best power trios, and Saturday’s score sheet backed up that label.
Davis Martin Holds Cubs
Davis Martin gave the White Sox six innings and one run, which let the offense play from in front after the first few swings. Will Venable said, “We’re seeing him make adjustments every day,” and added that Murakami is learning pitchers for the first time and making changes pitch to pitch and at-bat to at-bat.
Martin was more direct about what he saw from the cleanup threat. “He’s a superstar. There’s no other way to [put] it,” he said, adding, “You play against guys like [Mike] Trout, you play against guys like Judge and Yordan Alvarez and he’s doing the same things that they are. It’s an incredible thing to watch.”
The win put Chicago back above.500 at 23-22, and it did it in the same game where Murakami showed power, patience and recovery after a rough stretch. The White Sox now have a result that matches the noise around that middle of the order.
