CHICAGO (AP) — Miguel Vargas hit a two-run homer, Davis Martin pitched six effective innings, and the Chicago White Sox beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Friday night to end a six-game skid.

Martin (7-10) allowed three runs and six hits with a walk while striking out four. He left with the White Sox lead after scoring twice in the fourth to break a 2-all tie.

Rookie Grant Taylor, the last of three Chicago relievers, pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Dylan Cease (8-12), who spent his first five seasons with the White Sox before being traded to San Diego, gave up four runs and four hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out six in his first start against his former club.

Vargas connected for his 15th home run in the first, but San Diego tied it after getting RBI singles from Luis Arreaz in the third and Ryan O’Hearn in the fourth.

The White Sox came back in the bottom of the fourth with consecutive run-scoring singles from Curtis Mead and Will Robertson to take the lead for good.

The Padres, closing in on a second consecutive postseason berth, have dropped two straight.

Key moment

Mike Tauchman and Edgar Quero each got on after being hit by Cease in the fourth and both men came home thanks to Mead and Robertson to give the White Sox all the offense they’d need the rest of the night.

Key stat

The AL-worst White Sox need to win five of their final eight games to avoid a club-record third straight 100-loss season.

Up next

Padres RHP Yu Darvish (4-5, 5.63 ERA) faces White Sox RHP Yoendrys Gomez (3-2, 4.02) on Saturday night.

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