Munetaka Murakami homers twice as the White Sox beat the Cubs 8-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Munetaka Murakami homered twice and drove in three runs, helping the Chicago White Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 8-3 on Saturday night.

Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery and Andrew Benintendi also connected as the White Sox improved to 6-2 on a nine-game homestand. Davis Martin (6-1) struck out seven while pitching six innings of one-run ball.

Murakami's solo drive to center made it 4-0 in the third inning. The Japanese slugger added his 17th homer in the fifth, a two-run shot to center off Jameson Taillon that traveled an estimated 428 feet.

It was Murakami's first career multihomer game. The rookie batted .158 (3 for 19) with no homers, seven strikeouts and six walks in his previous six games.

Pete Crow-Armstrong and Miguel Amaya homered for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who beat the White Sox 10-5 in the series opener on Friday night. Taillon (2-3) surrendered a career-high five homers in five-plus innings.

The game was played with three umpires after Brian O’Nora departed in the fourth inning. O’Nora had concussion-like symptoms after he was struck by a foul ball while working the plate.

The White Sox jumped in front in the first. Sam Antonacci hit a leadoff single and Murakami walked before Vargas went deep for his 11th homer.

Montgomery hit a two-out solo drive in the third for his 13th homer.

Vargas and Montgomery also went deep on Friday night.

Amaya opened the sixth with his third homer. The Cubs put runners on second and third with one out, but Martin escaped the jam by striking out Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki.

Crow-Armstrong made it 8-3 when he hit a two-run drive off Trevor Richards in the ninth. But Amaya flied out to right and Nico Hoerner bounced to second, ending the game.

Colin Rea (4-2, 4.68 ERA) starts for the Cubs on Sunday, and fellow right-hander Erick Fedde (0-4, 3.77) pitches for the White Sox in the finale of the weekend series.

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Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong attempts to catch Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami's solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon reacts after giving up a solo home run to Chicago White Sox's Colson Montgomery during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Colson Montgomery watches his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami watches his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami watches his solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

ATLANTA (AP) — Willson Contreras hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Saturday night.

Red Sox rookie left-hander Payton Tolle (2-2) gave up two runs over a season-high eight innings, allowing four hits and striking out three. The Red Sox are 15-1 when their starters pitch at least six innings.

Aroldis Chapman moved into a tie for 10th place with his 377th career save. He survived a throwing error with two outs and the bases empty by shortstop Andruw Monasterio, who was in for the injured Trevor Story.

Chapman walked Mauricio Dubón and Michael Harris II to load the bases. Ha-Seong Kim then hit a hard ground ball off Chapman, who scrambled off the mound and tossed the ball to first to end it.

Contreras' home run came off Bryce Elder (4-2), who gave up seven hits in eight innings and and threw a season-high 103 pitches. Contreras knocked in Wilyer Abreu, who doubled with two outs. Abreu was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Masataka Yoshida’s sacrifice fly scored Mickey Gasper for the Red Sox's first run in the fourth inning.

Drake Baldwin was 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs for the Braves. He led off the game with a home run for the second consecutive day, with this one traveling 421 feet over the center field wall. Baldwin's two-out single in the fifth inning scored José Azócar from second base to break a 1-1 tie.

Braves RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 4.35 ERA) was set to start Sunday against RHP Brayan Bello (2-4, 6.46) in the series finale.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox Mickey Gasper (30) looks back after he slides safely into home against Atlanta Braves catcher Sandy León in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Boston Red Sox Willson Contreras (40) singles in the fourth inning of a baseball game against Atlanta Braves the Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Braves' José Azócar slides into home in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Boston Red Sox Mickey Gasper (30) slides safely into home against Atlanta Braves catcher Sandy León in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle (70) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)