SAN DIEGO (AP) — Munetaka Murakami hit his majors-leading 13th homer of the season to highlight a six-run second inning, Colson Montgomery added his ninth home run, and the Chicago White Sox beat the San Diego Padres 8-2 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
Murakami's three-run shot broke a tie with the Aaron Judge and Yordan Alavarez for the MLB lead. Montgomery's blast in the fifth gave Chicago its 14th multi-homer game of the season and a 7-0 lead.
Murakami and Montgomery homered in the same game for the seventh time this season. It's the most by any teammate duo in their team’s first 35 games of a season in MLB history, according to Elias and Sarah Langs.
Chicago starter Noah Schultz (2-1) allowed just two hits, struck out two and walked three in six scoreless innings. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first after walking three.
Sam Antonacci went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the White Sox.
San Diego's first hit came on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the third. He tripled for the first time this season in the sixth for their second hit. But Chicago right fielder Austin Hays made a catch near the foul line, while falling down, to end the sixth and keep Tatis at third.
Tatis finished 3 for 3 and scored one of two San Diego runs in the eighth on a single by Manny Machado.
German Marquez (3-2) permitted seven earned runs and five hits over five innings. The Padres were 4-1 in his previous five starts this season, including winners in his last four.
The Padres had won 17 of their last 23 games.
Chicago RHP Sean Burke (1-2, 3.21 ERA) was scheduled to start Saturday against RHP Michael King (3-1, 2.41).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Noah Schultz works against a San Diego Padres batter during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 1, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Chicago White Sox's Colson Montgomery celebrates his home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Friday, May 1, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami, right, celebrates his three-run home run with teammates Drew Romo (36) and Tristan Peters, left, during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Friday, May 1, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
BOSTON (AP) — Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson scored in the first period, Zach Benson added another early in the third and the Sabres beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Friday night in Game 6 to advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Josh Norris added an empty-netter. Alex Lyon finished with 25 saves.
The 4-2 series victory is the latest milestone for Buffalo, which saw the end of its 14-year playoff drought by capturing its first Atlantic Division title. The 2007 season was also the last time the Sabres advanced to the second round. They lost in the conference finals that year.
“It's one step in the right direction. That's it,” Tuch said.
Buffalo will play the winner of the Montreal-Tampa Bay series in the second round. That series will go to seven games after the Lightning's 1-0 overtime win Friday night in Montreal.
“I think Part A is getting to the playoffs. Part B is trying to have success once you get there,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “We talked about what a challenge it was going to be to try to take out a good team. And Boston's a good team. ... I thought our guys dug in and gave us a heck of a game tonight.”
David Pastrnak scored the lone goal for the Bruins. Jeremy Swayman made 22 stops.
“Buffalo, there's a reason they won the division,” Pastrnak said. "A lot of skill and speed that's over there. Their (defense) is very active. So, yeah, they were better."
Tempers flared with 1:31 to play after Benson tripped Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy responded with a slash at Benson. Both were sent to the penalty box.
It ends a feisty series comeback for the Bruins after earning a playoff berth in their first season under coach Marco Sturm. Boston has lost its last six home playoff games.
Trailing 2-1 in the third, the Bruins picked up their attack and had something working in the Sabres’ zone. But Josh Doan poked the puck away to start a break. He was pursued by Pastrnak and McAvoy toward the corner, when Doan flipped it back to a wide-open Zach Benson, who beat Swayman.
The Sabres’ speed dominated in the early going.
That changed 1:54 into the second period when a Buffalo turnover turned into a 2-on-1 break between Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. Zacha passed to Pastrnak on the left side, and he fired it in from the faceoff circle to get the Bruins within 2-1. It marked his third goal in the series.
It was part of a second period that saw an increase in physical play that was mostly allowed by the referees. It included a more than nine-minute stretch without a stoppage of play.
The Sabres needed just 3:25 into the first period to open the scoring when Tuch guided in a touch pass in front of the net by Rasmus Dahlin.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) stretches but cannot make a save on a goal by Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (not shown) during the second period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) is upended by Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) during the first period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak, center, is congratulated after his goal during the second period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs, front, celebrates after a goal by Mattias Samuelsson during the first period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Boston Bruins, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) sits on the ice after giving up a goal to Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson (6) during the third period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
