CHICAGO (AP) — Sam Antonacci and Braden Montgomery homered in a six-run first inning and the White Sox extended the Athletics' losing streak to nine with a 9-1 victory on Sunday that left Chicago atop the AL Central entering the All-Stark break.
Montgomery, who debuted on June 9, drove in four runs in a big league game for the first time. He entered with eight RBIs in his first 28 games.
Chicago (50-45) swept the three-game series by outscoring the A’s
24-2 after getting swept in three games against Boston. The White Sox lead the division over Cleveland (51-46) by less than a percentage point.
The A’s, on their longest skid since dropping nine straight from May 27 to June 4 last year, have lost 13 of 14 and 17 of 20, falling to 41-55.
All-Star Shea Langeliers hit his 21st homer in the first off Noah Schultz (3-6), giving the A's their first lead since July 1.
Antonacci went deep in the bottom half on the third pitch from J.T. Ginn (7-6) to ignite Chicago's high-scoring first inning this season. Kyle Teel hit a two-run single and Montgomery hit a three-run homer for a 6-1 lead.
Montgomery had an RBI single in a three-run fifth.
Schultz won for the first time in seven starts, allowing one run and four hits in five innings. The left-hander had given up 16 runs in 18 2/3 innings in his four previous outings.
Jordan Hicks struck out the side in the sixth, Seranthony Domínguez pitched a perfect seventh and Tyler Schweitzer gave up two hits over the final two innings.
Ginn gave up a career-high eight runs in 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Athletics: Host Washington in a three-game series starting Friday.
White Sox: Open the second half Friday at AL champion Toronto.
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