Yankees Rally Past White Sox in Series Opener

In a tight game against the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth hit a line drive to the left field wall. With two outs in the seventh inning and trailing by a run, Colson Montgomery made an effort to score from first base. Yankees left fielder Max Schuemann delivered a one-hop throw to shortstop Anthony Volpe, who successfully threw out Montgomery at home plate.

Montgomery commented on the play, “There were two outs, and we all trust Justin Jirschele, our third-base coach. He’s one of the best at reading plays. I felt I had a decent jump off first. With a left-handed pitcher on the mound, I couldn’t stray too far off. I assumed I’d score, but the Yankees made solid relays.”

The Yankees expanded their lead in the eighth inning with Ali Sánchez’s three-run home run, eventually defeating the Sox 9-5 in front of 22,357 fans at Rate Field. This loss saw the Sox relinquish an early three-run advantage in the opening match of the four-game series.

Montgomery praised the Yankees, saying, “They are veteran players who won’t relent. We had a 3-0 lead, but we weren’t complacent. They’re relentless.”

Sox pitcher Noah Schultz started the game on July 27, 2026. With this defeat, the Sox (55-50) maintained a slight lead over the Cleveland Guardians (54-53), whose game against the Cincinnati Reds was postponed due to unfavorable weather. The Sox-Yankees game began after a 20-minute rain delay.

In the first inning, the Sox took a 3-0 lead, benefiting from Colson Montgomery’s RBI single, Chase Meidroth’s sacrifice fly, and Braden Montgomery’s triple. Colson Montgomery, returning from a shin injury, scored from first on the triple.

During the fourth inning, the Yankees capitalized on back-to-back walks to score four runs. Volpe’s grounder resulted in a run, concluding Schultz’s time on the mound after allowing three runs, two hits, and recording five strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

“He was great early on,” said manager Will Venable. “Initially, all strikeouts reached full counts due to opposition’s efforts. In the fourth, things got tough, and it was time for a change.”

Reflecting on Schultz’s performance, Venable remarked, “Noah was fantastic in those three innings. Perhaps the fourth could have been different if I kept him longer, but he delivered well.” Schultz acknowledged, “Our game plan worked. Catcher Edgar Quero called it excellently. Early on everything clicked, but fatigue hit in the fourth.”

After the pitching transition, Jazz Chisholm Jr. leveled the score with a double against reliever Chris Murphy. Yankees then took a 4-3 lead when Chisholm scored. The Sox equalized in the fifth with Colson Montgomery’s RBI single, part of his three singles of the game.

In the seventh inning, Yankees regained the lead with Ben Rice’s two-out RBI single against reliever Bryan Hudson on a 1-2 pitch. The Sox tried to tie the score again in the seventh, but Montgomery was tagged out. “With two outs, it was a worthwhile attempt,” Venable commented. “Montgomery showed agility but tired out at the end. Jirschele pushed for it, and we appreciate the aggressive approach, though it didn’t succeed.”

Reliever Sean Newcomb allowed four Yankees runs in the eighth, including Sánchez’s first major-league home run, stretching their lead to 9-4. The Sox, charged with three errors, saw defensive errors impacting the game significantly. “It was a defensively sloppy game, even without the errors,” Venable admitted. “This affected the game significantly.”

Although a ninth-inning popup by Volpe allowed a Sox run, Yankees pitcher David Bednar struck out Meidroth with two runners on base, ending the game. Montgomery concluded, “The Yankees’ persistence is a learning moment as we approach important months.”