CHICAGO — Colson Montgomery delivered the defining blow of Sunday's contest, a three-run homer in the third inning that turned a one-run deficit into a comfortable lead, as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Cleveland Guardians 5-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Montgomery's 26th home run of the season capped a four-run rally that saw the White Sox overcome a 2-1 deficit. The inning began with a double from Munetaka Murakami that tied the game, followed by a run-scoring double from Randal Grichuk that put Chicago ahead. Montgomery then stepped in and launched a cutter from Cleveland reliever Craig Yoho over the right-field wall, sending the crowd into a roar.

“He’s been swinging the bat well, and that was a big moment for us,” White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said after the game. “The entire lineup showed patience and execution.”

The victory moved Chicago to 61-58 on the season, one win more than their entire 2025 campaign when they finished last in the American League at 60-102. The White Sox now hold a 3.5-game lead over Detroit in the AL Central, with Cleveland and Minnesota four games back.

The game was interrupted by a heavy rain shower after the first inning, causing a delay of 2 hours and 23 minutes. Both managers decided to replace their starting pitchers when play resumed. Chicago's Davis Martin had allowed two runs in the first inning, while Cleveland's Joey Cantillo surrendered a run but exited after the delay. White Sox left-hander Hagen Smith took the mound in the second inning for his major league debut.

Smith, a 22-year-old prospect, showed both promise and nerves. He tossed two scoreless innings, allowing no hits but walking three. In the third, he loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter before getting Brayan Rocchio to line out to third base, escaping the jam. He was credited with the win, improving to 1-0.

“It was a dream come true, but I knew I had to keep my composure,” Smith said. “The defense made some big plays behind me, and that helped me settle down.”

Chicago's bullpen took over from there. Five relievers combined to hold Cleveland to one run over the final seven innings. Trevor Richards, the sixth pitcher of the day, entered in the ninth inning with a 5-2 lead. He walked two batters and allowed a sacrifice fly to José Ramirez, but closed out the game to earn his third career save and first of the season.

Steven Kwan led the Guardians with two hits, extending his impressive on-base streak to 25 games. Murakami also reached base safely for the 25th consecutive game, tying Kwan for the longest active streak in the majors. Cleveland has now lost five of its last six, dropping to 58-61.

“We had chances, but we couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Their bullpen did a good job limiting damage.”

Cleveland used four relievers after the delay. Left-hander Tim Herrin entered in the second inning and held the White Sox scoreless. Craig Yoho took over with two outs in the third but struggled, allowing four runs on two hits and four walks while recording only one out. Yoho suffered his second loss of the season.

Looking ahead, the Guardians travel to Detroit to face the Tigers on Tuesday, with right-hander Tanner Bibee (4-11, 3.85 ERA) opposed by Detroit's Drew Anderson (4-4, 4.01). The White Sox return home to host Cincinnati, sending right-hander Sean Burke (7-6, 3.08 ERA) to the mound against Reds lefty Nick Lodolo (3-2, 4.60).

Sunday's win continued a positive trend for Chicago, which has now won four of its last five games and appears to be building momentum as the season enters its final stretch. The team's depth in the bullpen and timely hitting have been key factors in their recent surge.