Montgomery hits 28th homer in AL Central-leading White Sox’s 7-4 win over Twins

Minneapolis (AP) — Colson Montgomery scored his 28th homer and Andrew Benintendi drove in two runs to propel the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox to a 7-4 triumph over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. Early in the game, the White Sox capitalized on the Twins' unreliable pitching. Montgomery's three-run homer off of Minnesota starter Dean Kremer (2-5) in the first inning gave the White Sox a 4-0 lead.

The Twins responded with homers from Brooks Lee and Kody Clemens, who also singled in the second inning to make it 4-2. Chicago's Andrew Benintendi extended the White Sox's lead with a double in the third inning. Both starting pitchers only lasted four innings. White Sox right-hander Luis Castillo gave up four runs on eight hits, while Kremer surrendered six runs — five of them earned.

Relief pitcher Grant Taylor (7-2) shut down the Twins with 2 2/3 innings of shutout pitching. Bryan Hudson closed out the game for his sixth save. Tristan Peters, the White Sox's center fielder, ended his five-game home run streak with a single in the ninth inning. The Twins have struggled since the trade deadline, sitting 8-14 since then and with their wild-card hopes dwindling.

Minnesota is four games behind the final wild-card spot in the American League, with four teams ahead of them. Meanwhile, Minnesota's top prospect Walker Jenkins made his major league debut and was met with a warm ovation after his initial at-bat, a deep flyout to the warning track. He followed that up with a hit in the fourth inning.

Chicago's starting right-hander Erick Fedde (6-8, 4.18 ERA) was slated to take the mound Saturday against Minnesota's Bailey Ober (7-4, 4.49).