The Chicago White Sox relied on the long ball to secure a 3-1 victory against the Minnesota Twins. Munetaka Murakami hit his AL-leading 18th home run, and Drew Romo added a two-run shot to seal the win. The victory moved the White Sox above .500 with a record of 27-26.
Murakami’s Home Run Breaks Drought
Murakami’s home run came in the first inning off a 97.5 mph fastball from Twins starter Zebby Matthews. The ball travelled a Statcast-projected 375 feet. It would have been a home run in every MLB park except Fenway.
The home run ended a seven-game drought for the Japanese rookie. His previous home runs came in a two-homer game against the Cubs on May 16.
White Sox manager Will Venable expressed his satisfaction with Murakami’s performance. He stated that Murakami continues to take really good swings and make good swing decisions.
Romo’s Two-Run Blast Secures the Lead
Drew Romo’s fifth home run of the season came in the second inning, giving the White Sox a lead they would not relinquish. Romo credited a great meeting and preparation with the hitters and coaches for his success.
Romo expressed his excitement about the team’s performance. He said he hasn’t been on a team this good in a long time and feels super confident they can beat anybody.
Japanese Duo Make History
The game also marked a historic moment for the White Sox. Rikuu Nishida made his MLB debut, collecting his first Major League hit in the fourth inning. With Murakami and Nishida in the starting lineup, the White Sox became the third team in MLB history to have two Japanese-born position players in the same starting lineup.
- Munetaka Murakami hit his AL-leading 18th home run.
- Drew Romo hit his fifth home run of the season.
- Rikuu Nishida made his MLB debut and recorded his first hit.
The White Sox have relied heavily on home runs this season, ranking second in the Majors with 48.1% of their runs coming via the long ball. After a road trip where they struggled to score, the White Sox returned home and went back to their mashing ways.