Kay pitches 6 scoreless, Benintendi, Vargas and Pereira homer as White Sox beat Rays 9-1

By: The Associated Press Posted: 3:49 PM CDT Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Kay tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings, Andrew Benintendi, Everson Pereira and Miguel Vargas hit home runs, and the Chicago White Sox beat the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays 9-1 on Sunday.

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The White Sox (58-52), who entered August in first place of the AL Central for the first time since 2021, hold a 3 1/2 game lead over the Minnesota Twins.

Kay (8-5) fanned three batters and allowed seven hits while walking one. Duncan Davitt surrendered the lone run on his first pitch of the ninth.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Benintendi scored the game’s first run on a fielding error by Griffin Jax (6-9) in the first inning, and Colson Montgomery doubled the lead after Benintendi’s advance to second allowed him to come across from third; the play was officially scored as a wild pitch by Jax.

Benintendi launched his 12th homer of the year 378 feet over the right-center field wall in the fourth, and Pereira extended the lead with a two-run double in the sixth inning.

Pereira tacked on his his fourth home run of the year in the ninth before Vargas sealed the game with a 413-footer to the left-field seats at Tropicana Field.

In five innings, Jax allowed three runs on four hits while striking out eight.

Ben Williamson scored the Rays’ only run with a solo homer to left field.

During the game, the Rays acquired starting pitcher and two-time All Star Freddy Peralta for three prospects in a trade with the New York Mets. Peralta carries a 4.99 ERA across 22 starts — the second-worst ERA among all qualified pitchers in the MLB this season.