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.

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.

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.

Up next

Rays LHP Ian Seymour (7-3, 4.37 ERA) gets the start for a series opener against Rockies RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.54) on Monday.

The White Sox continue their six-game road trip at Fenway Park to face the Red Sox. Neither teams have announced a starter for Tuesday’s game.

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